XIX 



Ouse, of which it is by far the moBt important affluent. From the 

 confluence the Ouse has a further course of about 30 miles to its dis- 

 charge into the Derwent. The valley of the Shannon is a narrow one 

 of an average width of about eight miles, and consequently the river 

 has no large affluents. The most considerable one is the Blackman's 

 Rivulet, bringing in the water of the Lagoon of Islands, which drains a 

 watershed of about 24 square miles. This rivulet comes in at a point 

 about 20 miles below trie Great Lake. His observations gave the 

 Shannon a fall of 1 485ft. in the first 21 miles of its course from the 

 lake, or 70ft. a mile on the average. Some years ago he levelled up 

 the Derwent Valley to the Ouse bridge and so could state that in the 

 course of the Shannon and Ouse for the 45 miles between the place of 

 which he had given the level and the Derwent there is a further fall of 

 more than 1,500ft., or an average of 33ft. to the mile. The writer 

 concluded by referring to the important results that have followed the 

 modern system of converting by the dynamo the mechanical energy of 

 the turbine into elctrical energy and its transmission to be reconverted 

 into mechanieal energy that can be used where the power is required — 

 so that mills and factories need not be situated on the banks of the 

 stream in a secluded spot at a distance from means of communication. 

 In America the total of the larger installations is 72,000 horse-power, 

 with the prospect of increase to 150,000 when the Niagara scheme is 

 completed:; Switzerland comes next with 32,000 horse-power, to be 

 increased to 48,000 by further works on the Rhine ; ; France has 

 18,000 horse-power, to be increased to 30,000 ; Italy has 18,000 ; 

 Norway and Sweden, 20,000 ; while England and Scotland have only 

 4,000- From all this it appears that, in connection with the Great 

 Lake alone, Tasmania possesses capabilities that, if utilised, would put 

 her into the front rank of industrial communities employing the most 

 economical of all sources of motive power — water." 



Hon. C. E. Grant thought the paper was a very interesting one. 

 The difficulty was to utilise the great water-power available. It was 

 well to know that Tasmania had such an asset ; but he did not see the 

 necessity at present for making the survey Mr. Mault suggested. The 

 western part of the district would perhaps require the water-power first. 

 But he did not think so much as some appeared to do about the 

 enormous value of water-power, guided by his observations in various 

 parts of America. They must not as yet think too highly of the 

 water-power the colony possessed. 



Mr. R. M. Johnston thought, perhaps, Mr. Grant did not take into 

 account the new mode for transmitting the power to great distances. 



Mr. Grant : Yes I did. It's expensive. 



Mr. Johnston referred to this new development in America, and 

 believed there was an enormous field for the use of water-power in the 

 near future. 



Mr. Rule, whilst he did not think Mr. Grant did full justice to the 

 great future for the use of water-power, on the other hand thougnt 

 Mr. Mault had somewhat exaggerated in his calculation of the amount) 

 of water-power obtainable from the Great Lake, from the rainfall. He 

 did not think Mr. Mault had over-estimated the area of the water- 

 shed. No doubt there would be an immense expense in getting the 

 same applied. Common-sense told him that there would have to be 

 several generating stations. Nevertheless, there was strong hope that 

 this great power would be utilised. The transmission of electrical force 

 over a distance was not settled yet. 



Mr. Grant : It 's very costly. 

 ^ Mr. Mault said the last six years had seen a greater revelation 

 in the method of profitably applying water-power than the whole of 



