THE HOUSE AND ITS EQUIPMENT. 107 



ELECTRIC LIGHT IN COUNTRY HOUSES 



Revolution Effected bv Metal i ilament Lamps Electric Heating Subsidiary L .sr.s &amp;lt;&amp;gt;/ Curt oil 

 Costs of Typical Small Plant Running and Maintenance. 



THIS subject lias become a matter of general interest to architects and householders since the 

 introduction of the metal filament lamp, which has been shown to reduce the initial outlay to one- 

 half and the working expenses to a fraction of what was formerly necessary. Klectric light 

 \vas admittedly the most luxurious, most convenient and most healthy light ; but it was 

 regarded as beyond the reach of the average man, and architects who have Keen scheming to 

 provide the required accommodation with eight to twelve bedrooms at cut figures ha\e been compelled 

 to fall back on acetylene or petrol gas for their lighting, scarcely giving electric light a second thought. 

 Klectric light was, in fact, in a similar state to gas before the advent of the gas mantle, and what the in, mile 

 did for gas the metal filament lamp is rapidly effecting for electricity. Where the current is taken from 

 supply mams at a reasonable price the tables have, in fact, already been turned, and scores of letter^ are 

 being received from users saying that the actual bills for lighting are considerably less than thev tonnerly 

 paid for gas, apart from the indirect saving in decorations and flowers, which last so much longer when 

 the air currents and sooty products of gas are removed. Where a supply is available, inasmuch as the 

 cost of wiring is not materially greater than tubing and the liftings cost the same, there will doubtless 

 be no hesitation on anyone s part in arranging for electricity. 



Until recently there have been two classes of metallic filament lamps, one with a tungsten 

 filament, the other with a tantalum one. While it has been found possible, in spite of its extremely hard 

 and refractory nature, to draw tantalum into a wire, it has not been possible to do the same with tuny-ten. 

 The tungsten filament had to be made in another way and was far from being as strong as one made bv 

 drawing the metal into a fine wire. Users of the first tungsten filament lamps, though they were gratified 

 by the economy effected in consumption of current, have been made sadly aware of the frequency with 

 which the filament broke, adding considerably to the cost by renewals. Since those early day&amp;gt; much 

 experience has been gained by lamp manufacturers, which is now having i s full effect in the great improve 

 ment in the life of the tungsten lamp. lint &quot; this ere progress keeps on ; you d ardly think as ow it 

 could keep on,&quot; to quote Mr. Tom Smallwavs ; so, according to the latest reports. tung&amp;gt;ten can now be 

 drawn into wire filaments, and the full advantage of the current economy of tungsten combined with the 

 mechanical strength of a wire can be obtained. A further improvement has also been made in the light 

 distribution of the metallic filament lamp. This consists of arranging the filament in such a way that it 

 throws more light downwards and illuminates the space immediately under the lamp more efficiently. 



The problem of lighting the smaller country house is being made less costly by this rapid 

 succession of improvements. Those who at one time were compelled to regard electricity as too 

 expensive an illuminant can now consider the incidental advantages accruing from its use and in many 

 cases decide in favour of its adoption. The great economic advantage that electricity posM&amp;gt;ses over other 

 forms of illuminant is doubtless that of cleanliness. There is no fouling of the decorations due to its use, 

 and in rooms simply ornamented it is no exaggeration to say that walls and ceilings will last for eight 

 years without requiring to be redecorated. This term, however, may be reduced considerably if an open 

 fire is in constant use. 



This brings us to the question of electric radiators, and we must acknowledge at once that it is more 

 costly to warm a room electrically than by means of a fire. But it is not the true function of an electric 

 radiator to warm a room; it should be used for warming the person. The warming of a bedroom or 

 dressing-room as a. whole is not necessary, provided the person occupying it can be kept comfortable. 

 In the case of the bedroom a fire is not a satisfactory method of heating. It goes out in the 

 night and is not available for taking the chill off the air on rising, as a radiator would be. Furthermore, 

 many people do not like sleeping in a warm bedroom. The electric radiator is hot the moment the current 

 is switched on, and by means of a wall plug and connections of flexible wire can be placed anywhere in 

 the room. Dressing operations can be conducted in close proximity to it, and the current switched off 

 the instant it ceases to be required. Used in this way, the radiator is not the expensive luxury that it 

 appears at first sight to be. As the great efficiency of the metallic filament lamp, not to speak of the 

 improvements in other parts of the plant, has brought the cost of light down to less than half what it 

 was in the days of carbon filaments, the users of electricity can well afford themselves the luxury of a 



