president's address — SECTION H. 175 



are estimated at 250,000 horsepower, 300 horsepower of which 

 is utilised by means of turbines driving two alternating-current 

 dvnamos. The current, generated at 4,000 volts, is carried by a 

 No. 4 B. &, S. wire on ordinary glass insulators across country 

 to the sub-station at Portland, where it is received at 3,300 volts, 

 and reduced by transformers to 1,1 Oo volts for distribution through 

 the city to ordmary transformers, by which it is again reduced to 

 50 volts. Additions have lately been made to the plant, the total 

 capacity of which is now 8.750 sixteen-candlepower lights. Works 

 for the utilisation and electrical distribution of the great energy 

 of Niagara are being actively prosecuted. 



The immense waterpower of the world is now available, and 

 can be conveyed to situations where the difficulty of procuring 

 fuel has hitherto prohibited mining and other operations. It 

 will be jDOssible for manufacturing to exist far removed from 

 coal measures, and even for industries, the profitable prosecution 

 of which has been dependent on abundant fuel supply, to be carried 

 on without such aid. To the small manufacturer the supply of 

 cheap and readily applied motive jDOwer will be a great boon, and 

 we may look for a revival in the prosperity of the small workshops 

 now almost crushed out of existence by the competition of their 

 more powerful rivals. The utilisation of power obtained at a 

 distance may, in fact, be expected to effect a change in industrial 

 operations hardly inferior in magnitude to that brought about by 

 the introduction of the steam engine. I think, therefore, you will 

 agree with with me in considering the successful transmission of 

 power over long distances as " the greatest mechanical achievement 

 of the age." 



