40 PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS SECTION A. 



It is generally assumed that the developed water [)o\ver of the 

 world is in the vicinity of 13.000,000 h.p. 



Coming to South Africa, the only definite data available is 

 that at the end of 1913, when the latest returns were made, 

 power was being developed in the Union, from water wheels and 

 turbines, to the extent of only 9,157 h.p., or less than i.i per 

 Gent, of the total power of the Union, railways and transport 

 excluded. In giving evidence before the Transvaal Power Com- 

 mission, Mr. A. Karlson, of the Irrigation Department, estimated 

 the available hydraulic power in tlie Transvaal and Swaziland 

 to be 250.000 h.p., and 'that the cost of the average of 50,000 

 h.p. transmitted from Kaapmuiden to Waterval Boven, a dis- 

 tance of 68 miles, would be £1 19s. per h.p. year. At Niagara 

 Falls, it may be mentioned, power is being supplied at £3.6 per 

 h.p. per annum on a capital outlay of £45 per h.p. 



According to the Power Commissions report, the objects 

 of the Victoria Falls and Transvaal Power Co., as stated in the 

 articles of association, are of the widest character, and contem- 

 plate, amongst others, " To supply the immense existing and 

 prospective industries of the Rand and of Rhodesia with 

 electrical power generated from the Victoria Falls on the 

 Zambesi River, and auxiliary steam power stations in the 

 vicinity of Johannesburg." In 1906, the Company acquired from 

 the African Concessions Syndicate the preferent right for 75 

 years to develope 250,000 K.W. (equal to 335,000 h.p.) from 

 the Victoria Falls. The project has apparently, for the time 

 being, been regarded as impracticable, but, in the Victoria Falls. 

 South Africa possesses a valuable asset for the future. 



The largest hydraulic power installation in South .\frica 

 is at Barberton, thir, being capable of developing 3.000 h.p. 

 There are installed at the Penhalonga Mines, in Southern 

 Rhodesia, two Pelton wheels, each cai)able of developing 375 

 h.p. under a head of 350 feet. In connection with tlie new 

 water su])ply works for Ca])e Town, a hydro-electric trans- 

 mission scheme is under consideration. 



It is, T think, apparent to anyone who studies the subject, 

 that water power must become of increasing importance; indeed, 

 so much is this realised that in some countries the (|uestion of a 

 .state monopoly has arisen: its present neglect in this country 

 is mainly due to the sui)ply of cheaj) coal. 



Inlcnuil Ileal of the luirth. — There can 1)e no (juestion that 

 an enf)rnious amount of power is represented by the internal 

 heat of the earth, but the j^roblem is how to utilise it. Attempts 

 have been made to harness hot springs, but the i)ower represented 

 is too diminutive. It has even been suggested that the con- 

 tinuous streams of molten lava which flow to the sea at Stromboli 

 represent power going to waste. Dealing with the possibility 



