28 Book of Engineering 



glasses, so great is the glare of that con- 

 suming fuel. 



In the older power houses there are huge 

 vertical or horizontal engines, clanging their 

 way through life. At Barking the turbine 

 has attained its zenith, for here is a whole 

 army of these excellent machines which 

 work so efficiently and yet so silently. 

 There is just the low drone and no sense 

 or little sense of movement beyond the 

 drone. 



From the turbine house to the power 

 house is an easy step and here that great 

 genii is fully enthroned that magician which 

 can be so excellent a servant, so terrible a 

 master. That rebellion is possible and antic- 

 ipated is explained by the guide, who 

 states that in order to provide for any 

 eventuality the power house can be flooded 

 instantly with a curious gas which has the 

 merit of beating fire. 



But such a gas is, like the electric 

 generators, a good servant but a terrible 

 master. For this reason there is a gas 

 mask always kept ready so that if it 



