DISCUSSION ON ELECTRIC TRACTION. 87 



utilise d excepting a few points per cent, due to the resistance 

 <.f the current by the conductor. The maximum grade in 

 llohart is 1 in 16, and is slight compared with some of the 

 towns where cars are being operated by electricity. The 

 fo l'-wing is au extract from a letter from the directors of the 

 " Richmond Union Passenger Line " to Mr. Sprague : — " The 

 road which you have equipped under most trying conditions 

 has been one of the most, if not the most, difficult which could 

 be met with in street railway work. The excessive and 

 continuous grades, the numerous sharp curves, the gradients 

 in these curves, the weight of the cars, and the heavy loads 

 which they have been required to carry, together with the 

 extent of the system, and the number of the cars in operation 

 (about 40), constitute the enterprise the largest and most 

 difficult yet inaugur.ted in any part of the world. We 

 acknowledge the successful fulfilment of all the terms and 

 conditions of the contract, and compliment you upon having 

 achieved so signal a success." The number of street electric 

 railways at work, and the number contemplated, is quite 

 sufficient to prove that it has long since passed the experi- 

 mental stage of development. Citizens of Hobart should 

 keep these facts in view, and refuse to listen to any argument 

 stating it to be impracticable to introduce an electric service 

 here. The wretched apology for a permanent way will cer- 

 tainly have to be removed, and a neat steel-grooved rail put 

 in its place, as the basis of efficient street transit is a smooth 

 and sound rolling surface. I would also like to see a 4ft. 

 &§in. gauge, instead of a 3ft. 6in. gauge, as the latter might 

 create mechanical difficulties which cannot at present be fore- 

 seen, as all the electric roads, or nearly so, are built to 4ft. 

 8|in. requirements. Of course these difficulties would be 

 overcome ; still it is just as well to be on the safe side. As 

 regards a prime source of power for Hobart, it is a simple 

 question of cost and maintenance whether water or steam 

 would be better. There is plenty of water, and the cost to 

 supply a constant head would be, I think, much less than 

 eoal Two hundred h.p. would be more than sufficient force 

 for a service of 12 cars, and as to the mechanical power for 

 equipment it does not make much difference whether the 

 grades be 1 in 5 or 1 in 10, as the motors used are of a 

 standard size, having a capacity of 15 h.p. each. Where the 

 grades do not exceid 4 to 5 per cent., one motor could do the 

 work, but where the grades exceed 5 and run up as high as 

 10 per cent., then it is unsafe to operate, except by driving 

 both axles, and then the equipment must be two 15 h.p. 

 motors. The average weight for street motors' equipment 

 is about 1001b. per h.p Hence 2-15 h.p. motor equipment 

 will weigh about 3,0001b. I have deduced this to mathe- 

 matical formulae following: — H.P.=475=M.T. (C x 1), 



