J. D. F. Andrews and Co. Barclay and Sons

Fowler, Lancaster, and Co. J. Jackson

H. F. Joel

Bailey, 21, Finsbury-pavement, London.

Woodhouse and Rawson

1,810 0 0

Edmundson's, Limited

1,815 0 0

General Electric Power Company

London and Lancashire Electric Company..

1,825 0 0

1,830 0 0

Paterson and Cooper

1,842 0 0

Reid Bros.

21691. A variable resistance switch.

1,964 0 0

Mather and Platt

Electrical Supplies and Fittings Company.

1,996 0 0

2,000 C 0

Brush Electrical Engineering Company

Planet Electrical Engineering Company

2,056 8 2

2,136 0 0

2,140 0 0

2,192 7 0

2,229 0 0 2,230 0 0 2,288 0 0 2,300 0 2,300 0

2,590 0 0 2,600 0 0

Crompton and Co..

Latimer Clark, Muirhead, and Co. W. Goolden and Co.

Ewart and Son

Johnson and Phillips
Sharp and Kent
Girdlestone and Co.
Spagnoletti and Co.

Lund Bros. and Co.

Siemens Bros. and Co.

Laurence, Scott, and Co. Suter and Co.

The number of tenders (32) is probably one of the largest sent in for any public competition, and exemplifies in the most striking way the great differences in estimating the cost even of straightforward office lighting-the last tender being exactly double the first. The accepted tender is not yet announced.

Ernest Bohm and Ernest Bailey, 21, Finsbury-pavement, London. 21702. Improvements in and relating to the construction of electrodes of large dimensions for accumulators, and to supporting the same in their cells. William Phillips Thompson, 6, Lord-street, Liverpool. (Armand Vanden Kerckhove, Belgium.)

21720. Improvements in switches for regulating currents of electricity. John Charles Howell and Percy Edward Pownall, 55, Chancery-lane, London.

21723. Improved means and appliances connected with electrically regulating the feed of carbons to arc lamp. William Routledge, 166, Fleet-street, London.

21728. Improvements in electric arc lamps. Addison Goodyear Waterhouse, 45, Southampton-buildings, London. (Complete specification.)

PROVISIONAL PATENTS, 1891.

DECEMBER 7.

21344. Improvements in dynamo-electric machine commutator brushes. James Ernest Spagnoletti, Goldhawk Works, Shepherd's Bush, London.

21354. Improvements in apparatus for measuring electric currents. Hermann Aron, 6, Lord-street, Liverpool. 21363. An improved electric lift. Isaa Peral, 433, Strand, London.

21369. Improvements in switches for primary or secondary batteries. Henry Harris Lake, 45, Southampton-buildings, London. (Hermann Müller, Germany.)

21379. Improvements in dynamo-electric machines. Alexander Bernstein, 4, South-street, Finsbury, London. DECEMBER 8.

21442. Improvements in secondary or storage batteries. Henry Harris Lake, 45, Southampton-buildings, London. (Isaiah Lewis Roberts, United States.) (Complete specification.) 21448. Improvements in the manufacture of filaments for incandescent lamps. Sydney Pitt, 24, Southamptonbuildings, London. (Ludwig Karl Böhm, United States.) (Complete specification.)

21449. Improvements in switches for electrical purposes. Frank Geere Howard, 18, Berners-street, London. (Complete specification.)

21476. Improvements in electric meters.

21505. Improvements in methods for producing multiphase alternating currents and in apparatus therefor. Rankin Kennedy, Carntyne Electric Works, Shettleston, Glasgow. 21506. For improvements in and connected with waterwheels for producing motive power for electric lighting purposes and hydraulic works on streams or tides. William Gordon Potter, 8, Middle-pavement, Nottingham. 21533. A new or improved method for registering or recording telegrams and the like. Duncan McCallum, 36, Thurlestone-road, West Norwood.

21541. An improved method of mechanically strengthening dynamo-electric machine inductors. Lazarus Pyke and Edward Stephen Harris, 433, Strand, London. (Complete specification.)

21551. Improvements in apparatus for the projection of electric light. Sydney Pitt, 24, Southampton-buildings, London.

49. Galvanic batteries. Wensky. 6d. 584. Dynamo-electric motors. Hutin and Leblanc. 8d. 1004. Indicator for electric potentials. Thomson. 6d. 1035. Primary batteries. Maquay. 8d. 1138. Guard for electric light globes. Munns. (Mino and another.) 6d.

2522. Electric light pendants, etc. Lane and Cottrell. 8d. 3198. Galvanic batteries. Poudroux. 8d.

12828. Electric motors. Lake. (Thomson-Houston International Electric Company). 1s. 3d.

16080. Dynamo-electric machines. Conly. 8d.

17652. Electric arc lamps. Lake. (Thomson-Houston International Electric Company). 8d.

17971. Electric clock winders. J. W. and C. F. DuLaney. 6d. 17994. Electric batteries. Scheithauer. 6d.

Price Paid. Wednes

day

33

2층

19

5

5

10

5

3

44

9

40

7

NOTES.

Mechanics' Almanack.-The nineteenth year of publication of "Calvert's Mechanics' Almanack and Work

Yarmouth.

Elmore Copper Company. We have received copies of the accounts of the Elmore Copper-Depositing Company, too late, however, for publication in this week's issue.

Odessa. The Continental Edison Company, of Paris, have obtained from the Municipality of Odessa a contract for lighting several streets and public buildings by electricity.

Lecture.-Mr. T. Carey, of the Thomson-Houston Electric Company, has been invited by the Royal Engineers, Woolwich, to read a paper on electric traction in January.

Appointment. The City of London Electric Lighting Company have appointed Mr. David Cook, late superintendent and consulting electrical engineer to the Corporation of Glasgow, as their general manager.

Dover.-A letter was read at the last meeting of the Dover Finance Committee from the solicitors of the Brush Electric Lighting Company, stating that they would submit a draft copy of the agreement shortly.

Catalogue. We have received "List B" from Messrs. Woodhouse and Rawson containing a very large and handsome selection of electric light brackets, electroliers, glass shades, and ship, house, and office fittings.

Fareham. A special meeting of the Local Board of Health was held last week to consider the matter of the Fareham Electric Lighting Company's provisional order. The consent of the Board was given to the company's application.

Venice in London.-One of the great sights of Christmas time is to be the magnificent spectacle which is being rapidly brought into shape at Olympia, "Venice in London," with real buildings, canals, and gondoliers. We hope to be able to give some description of it when opened. Richmond.—The Board of Trade were just upon the point of revoking the Richmond electric lighting order, when the town clerk informed them that the contract with Messrs. Latimer Clark, Muirhead, and Co. was ready to be signed, and the threatened revocation of the order was withheld.

Appointment.-We have to make a correction as to the appointment of electrical engineer to the Huddersfield Town Council. It is not Mr. W. C. Mountain, but his brother, Mr. A. B. Mountain, at present assistant manager to the Newcastle Electric Supply Company, who has received the appointment.

Tenders for Durban (Natal).-Mr. W. H. Radford, C.E., of Nottingham, has been instructed by the Corporation of Durban to invite tenders for the supply of electricity to the inhabitants of Durban and for the lighting of the public streets. The population is about 24,000, and there are no gas works.

Cardiff.—Mr. Sidney Walker suggests that two streets in Cardiff should be experimentally lighted by temporary plants, one by arcs and the other Sunbeam lamps, and the cost of each fully tested. Mr. Walker says he believes the arc lamp will gradually disappear from public lighting in favour of high-power incandescent lamps.

little book appearing in its customary interesting and useful form, full of information items, recipes, diagrams, and articles of interest to mechanics and working engineers. Lancaster Tramways.—In the annual report of the Lancaster Tramways Company, the directors regret that they are not yet in a position to report any progress as to the question of the company adopting electricity as a motive power, or in extending the tramway to Scotforth. An extension of time has been granted by the Board of Trade.

The National Telephone Company have not less than 19,000 miles of trunk mains. It is estimated that the company put through not less than 70 million calls per annum throughout their whole system. After January 1st, 1892, all the call offices in Glasgow will be open to the public at a charge of one penny for three minutes' conversation.

Finchley.-Messrs. Latimer Clark, Muirhead, and Co., having offered to bear the expense of the provisional order and carry out the works required for supply of electric light, the letter was referred over for future consideration of the Finchley Local Board. A letter was also received from Mr. John Wright, United Electric Light Company, 64, Victoria-street.

Fleetwood. At the monthly meeting of the Fleetwood Commissioners the chairman mentioned they had got three of the best firms in the trade to make their reports, and it was really a case of competition. The clerk said he was awaiting the third report. Immediately he received this report the Electric Lighting Committee would be called together.

Prize. The Italian technical journal, Elettricita (Via Meravigli, Milan) offers a price of 2,000f. for a new practical simple primary battery for industrial use. The competition will remain open from January 1 to August 31, 1892, open to all senders. The jury will be composed of responsible and competent persons. Details can be obtained.

at the above address.

City Lighting.-The supply of current to private consumers by the City of London Electric Company was commenced last week from the company's central station at Meredith's Wharf. The company is now prepared to connect consumers on both sides of the eastern end of Queen Victoria-street, and expects to be able to connect those of the west end of Queen Victoria-street early in 1892.

Paris Electric Railway.-We learn with pleasure, says Electricité, that the scheme for providing a tubular electric railway for Paris is progressing satisfactorily. The commission appointed to report from the technical point of view upon the proposed plans, have unanimously adopted them. One of the numerous stages necessary for the inauguration of the line from the Bois de Boulogne to Vincennes has thus been successfully passed.

Telegraph in India-The erection and maintenance of telegraph lines in some districts of India are amongst the most troublesome engineering problems of the day. It is proposed to run a line over the high mountain ranges of Kashmir to Gilgit. Frost reigns supreme for many months in the year, and often a solid snow curtain is formed along the line between post and post, while occasionally the whole line, posts and all, is buried beneath the snow.

Electricity at the World's Fair.-Messrs. Siemens and Halske, under certain conditions as to patents, rates, and storage, have formally applied for a space of 17,250 square feet under cover, and 2,150 square feet out of doors.

at the Chicago Exhibition. The exhibit will require 1,500 h.p. to 2,000 h.p. for the operation of the machinery. An electric railway will be laid, electric boats supplied, and a model theatre, besides public lighting. A special building is asked for.

Progress of Invention.-The U.S. Patent Office will exhibit at the Chicago Exhibition a comprehensive array of models to illustrate the wonderful progress of mechanical civilisation. One group of models will show the progress of the printers' art from Gutenberg's crude invention to the latest rotary perfecting and folding printing press, capable of turning out newspapers at the rate of many thousands per hour. Other groups will show the development of the steam engine, sewing machine, agricultural machinery, the application of electricity, and other branches.

Kensington.-The Works and Sanitary Committee of the Kensington Vestry, at their last meeting stated that they had considered the letters from the Board of Trade forwarding the description of the system of electric lighting proposed to be substituted by the Chelsea Electricity Supply Company in place of that now in force, and recommended that the Board of Trade be informed that the Vestry saw no objection to the proposed new system being adopted, provided a code of rules and regulations similar to those now in force be imposed by the Board.

The Hughes Telegraph.-There are now 100 Hughes printing telegraphs at work in Berlin, out of a probable total of 2,000 in the countries using this wonderful instrument. The great advantages of speed and clearness are well shown in the fact that the usual speed of the Hughes telegraph is 1,200 to 1,300 words an hour in printed Roman letters, and in the Berlin chief telegraph office are operators capable of sending 1,600 words in the hour. In a great number of lines running from Berlin there are more than 500 messages sent a day, the activity of the Morse system being limited to 200 a day.

Fast Electric Railroads.—It is not all honey in the working of an electric road, especially when 25 miles an hour are run with what are practically ordinary tramcars, run at this speed in competition with the railway company. On the St. Paul and Minneapolis track, to which we have before referred, a car jumped the track, and four persons were fatally injured. With such conditions true railway conditions come into play, and the 18ft. car with a short wheel base were certainly not satisfactory, and doubletruck cars are to be used in future. The unfortunate incident will at least serve to indicate the kind of service for which electric cars are now being employed.

Waterford.-At the last meeting of the Waterford Corporation, a letter was received from Mr. T. F. Strange, law adviser to the Corporation, stating that he had taken the necessary steps to obtain the provisional order to enable the Town Council to light the city by electricity. He applied for £150 to carry the matter out. This amount was voted. The Special Lighting Committee have decided to apply to Government for a loan of £20,000 to carry out the public lighting, and though in all probability the cost will not amount to this sum, the amount now paid for public lighting will more than cover the instalments of principal and interest levied by the Government.

Featherstone.-At a meeting of the Featherstone Local Board last week a letter was read from Lord Masham's agent, offering to light up North Featherstone for a term of 15 to 20 years with electric light, or so long as the coal on the Ackton estate lasted and continued to be worked, for the sum of £20 per year and 4d. per hour during the time the current was used. The Board favoured Lord Masham's offer, but it was stated that Castleford Gas

Company had the right of lighting North Featherstone, and it was also mentioned that a license would be required from the Board of Trade before the Board could adopt the offer made by Lord Masham. The offer was accepted.

The

Exhibition at Earl's Court.-A United Services Exhibition is to be held in the grounds at Earl's Court, to be opened in May next. It is considered that the auxiliary forces-and particularly the volunteers-have not been properly represented in any exhibition. Welcome Club, in the Western Gardens, will be reconstituted especially for the benefit of officers and their friends. The buildings and grounds will be illuminated by electric lighting and otherwise, on a grander scale than heretofore, and first-class music will be made a special feature. Naval and military displays, drills, sports, and competitions will be provided, and prizes will be offered for various competitions.

Budapest Electric Railway.-Some particulars recently given of the proposals for the electric railway between Vienna and Budapest reveal a daring and compre hensive plan. The distance is 150 English miles, which is to be covered in 75 minutes, the speed in regular working to be 200 kilometres, or 124 miles an hour. There would be two main generating stations, with 100 sub-stations along the route, and only four stopping-places. The cars are to be 130ft. long on four bogie carriages, and shaped to cigar-shaped point to reduce the air resistance. The cars are to be provided with two powerful motors at each end, the current being picked up from bare conductor rails by special wheels. It is thought permission will be obtained, and the line put in hand before very long.

Typological Museums.-Lieut.-General Pitt-Rivers, D.C.L., F.R.S., read a very suggestive paper before the Society of Arts last week, upon "Typological Museums," as exemplified by the Pitt-Rivers Museum at Oxford and his provincial museum at Farnham, Dorset. He advocates evolutionary arrangement in a large rotunda, and incidentally mentions that his museum, although in the country, was visited by 7,000 persons a year. At the conclusion of his paper General Pitt-Rivers exhibited a number of diagrams illustrative of the evolution of the modern rifle and bullet through all its stages, some of which had dropped out of public knowledge; and in connection with this he suggested the desirability of a similar series being arranged, before it was too late, of various electrical appliances, many links in which might be easily forgotten.

The Kimberley Exhibition. The executive of the Kimberley Exhibition having invited Lord Knutsford to become patron of the exhibition, have received a communication from him intimating his readiness to act in that capacity. Messrs. Rodwell and Co., Port Elizabeth, and Devine, Gates, and Co., Capetown, are appointed forward ing agents for the exhibition. The plans of the buildings are now being decided upon by the committee. The prospectus of the exhibition has, we learn, been received by Mr. Atkinson, the London manager. It states that all European exhibits will be conveyed from the coast to Kimberley and taken back to Port Elizabeth or Capetown free of charge. Medals and certificates will be specially awarded for the most economical mining, electric lighting, and agricultural machinery. Special prominence is to be given to all classes of machinery adapted for use in the colony.

Private Bills.-Monday being the last day for the deposit of private Bills at the Private Bill Office of the House of Commons, there was a large attendance of parliamentary agents who have charge of schemes for the coming

session. Plans, sections, and books of reference were deposited on November 30th, but notice has also been given of several Bills in respect of which no plans are required to be deposited. Among the Bills are the following: Baker-street and Waterloo Railway, Central London Railway, City and South London Railway (Islington Extension), Great Northern and City Railway, Hampstead, St. Pancras and Charing Cross Railway, County Council (General Powers), Subways and Tramways, London Tramways (extensions), National Telephone Company, New Telephone Company, Limited, North Metropolitan Tramways, Ward Electrical Car Company, Limited, and Waterloo and City Railway.

Thunderstorms.-Mr. W. Marriott, before the Royal Meteorological Society last week, gave a paper on "Thunderstorms," in which some interesting statistics were given. In 1888 there were 113 days, and 1889, 123 days on which thunderstorms occurred; damage was done on 33 days in 1888, and 38 in 1889. Thunderstorms appear to travel at an average rate of 18 miles per hour, but sometimes at a higher rate in squally weather. The

author thinks that individual thunderstorms do not travel at a greater rate than 20 miles an hour, and that they take the path of least resistance, favouring flat, low ground. He believes that the thunderstorm formations are small atmospheric whirls, in all respects like ordinary cyclones; and that the whirl may vary from one mile to 10 miles or more in diameter. There are frequently several whirls near together, or following one another along the same track. The numerous oscillations in the barometric curve are evidently due to the passage of a succession of atmo spheric whirls; and it appears that lightning strokes are most frequent when these oscillations are numerous.

Electric Fittings.-One of the most remarkable signs of the times in the electrical world has been the immense strides taken by the comparatively new firm of Rashleigh, Phipps, and Dawson, of Berners-street, W. This firm, no doubt enjoying the patronage accruing from their connection with Mr. Phipps, the eminent architect, have pushed with energy all the advantages they have received, and are now well-known electrical contractors to numbers of West-end and country houses. The firm have a fine showroom in Berners-street, where a brilliant display of 1,200 lamps, all wired for light in an immense variety of artistic fittings, can be seen, The current is obtained partly from their own batteries and partly from the Metropolitan Supply Company. They have recently taken new premises in Stanhope-street, Euston-road, which is fitted up as a first-class art metal-working factory. They have specially engaged seven artists-designers and modellers-several of them exhibitors and prizemen. The number of workmen employed by the firm is very nearly 200, and will rise to 300 in the beginning of the year when the new works are opened. We are promised some novel and pleasing effects in the exhibits by the firm at the Crystal Palace Exhibition, mostly in the adaptation of artistic special fittings and reflected light arrangements. The importance of this exhibit can be best gauged by the fact that last week they had no less than 90 workmen at work fitting it up at the Crystal Palace.

Weston-super-Mare. At the last meeting of the Weston-super-Mare Town Commissioners, the report of the Finance Committee meeting was read, at which the clerk produced the taxed costs of Messrs. W. Smith and Sons and Mr. J. C. Ball incidental to the Weston-super-Mare provisional order, amounting together to £370. 13s. 11d. The committee recommended that the clerk be instructed to apply to the Local Government Board for sanction to a loan of £375 for payment thereof and incidental expenses. At a meeting of the Electric

Lighting Committee on the 18th November, Mr. Preece's report, dated the 20th September, 1890, was read, and the clerk was instructed to enquire what other towns had done in the matter, and to ask (1) whether they have undertaken their own work, and, if so, the number and description of lamps; (2) whether they maintain a supply for public and private purposes; (3) the capital outlay; (4) if let to a company, whether they could lend the committee a copy of their agreement, or acquaint them with the terms of such letting; (5) whether they have any suggestion to make for the guidance of the committee. At a meeting of the committee on the 26th ult., the committee, after some discussion, recommended that they be authorised by the Board to visit, on its behalf, such towns where electric light has been adopted for public and private purposes, and to obtain all information on the subject which they may be able to produce. The clerk was further asked to enquire of Dover and Fleetwood whether they had done anything definite towards carrying out their powers of electric lighting since August last.

Gauzantes Miners' Lamp. After experiments lasting over six years a French electrician, M. G. N. Gauzantes, now residing at Cardiff, has produced a primary battery miners' lamp that is regarded with much interest in the neighbourhood. The composition of the solution, as usual, is a secret. The battery consists of a tin case containing two cells, round the sides of which are placed, four in each cell, vertical slips of carbon; in each cell a zinc rod is suspended from the cover into the generating fluid. Binding screws are fitted to the carbon and zinc poles, and the lid is tightly fastened. Upon this lid is placed the small incandescent lamp, with its guard and reflector. In size, the lamp is about 4in. wide, 2in. broad, and nearly 8in. in height, and easily carried by means of a light handle affixed to the side. The weight of the lamp when fully charged is about 3lb. 12oz., and it gives a surface light equal to c.p., or

candle in excess of that given by the most powerful safety lamp. The prime cost of construction is only 5s., and the weekly working cost of replenishing the battery is estimated at 5d., while the life of the lamp is reckoned to be five years. The metal which serves as the anode is refined by a new and simple process, and allows a maximum generation of current without fear of rapid polarisation. The exciting fluid is stated to be a new combination, giving in a single liquid all the properties necessary for the production of a regular and constant current, and reabsorption of the sulphates produced. The lamp has been tested in Belgium and at the Gelli mines with satisfactory results. One of the lamps was burnt for 10 hours in the Western Mail office. The invention is being taken up by M. Soldenhoff and a syndicate.

Maxwelltown

Factory Lighting at Dundee. Factory, Dundee, was one of the first works in Dundee fitted up with a complete electric light installation. There are 700 lamps of 16 c.p. each and two arc lamps of 5,000 c.p. each employed in the lighting. The main dynamo is a compound-wound Manchester, by Messrs. Mather and Platt. It is constructed to give an electrical output of 420 amperes 100 volts, equal to 700 lamps of 16 c. p. each. It is driven by a double-cylinder diagonal engine with cylinders 12in. diameter with a 16in. stroke, and the motor runs at 120 revolutions per minute. The engine was also made by Messrs. Mather and Platt. The power is transmitted by means of an 11in. link belt passing under a jockey pulley, which serves to tighten the belt when running. A few lights ranging from 10 c.p. to 130 c.p. are required in different departments of the works all day, and to provide for these there is a small Electric