TELPHERAGE 253 



which have induced me to devote much time and labour to 

 telpherage. 



[Here the model was shown in action. This model con- 

 sisted of two concentric octagons of wire, the length of each 

 outer span being 5 feet. On each octagon there was a single 

 locomotive and train, equal in length to that of the span. 

 These trains ran well and steadily in opposite directions round 

 the lines.] 



These arguments may be stated as follows. We could not 

 with steam employ a vast number of little one-horse engines to 

 pull along a number of small trains or single waggons. There 

 would be waste in the production of power and great cost in 

 the wages of the men employed at each engine. But an electric 

 current of, let us say. 50 horse-power, will, as it circulates through 

 a conductor of moderate size, drive thirty small engines each of 

 one horse-power, which require practically no supervision, and 

 can be made nearly as economical in their action as a single 

 electro-motor of 30 horse-power could be. But if the power 

 can be distributed economically along a line, say, ten miles 

 in length, this allows us to employ thirty small trains, correspond- 

 ing each to a waggon pulled by one horse, instead of a single 

 train such as might require 30 horse-power. If we further dis- 

 tribute the weight by making each train of considerable length, 

 we are able to employ an extremely light form of road, such as a 

 suspended rope or rod of, say, |-inch diameter. Later on in the 

 paper I will show the amount of traffic which such a rod can 

 practically convey. Meanwhile, I simply draw your attention 

 to the general principles of the subdivision of power and the sub- 

 division of weights. In distributing the power by means of 

 electricity it was clear that considerable waste must be incurred, 

 but the amount of that waste is easily calculated, and is by no 

 means prohibitory. Moreover, the power, being obtained from 

 stationary engines, or in certain cases from falls of water, could 

 be produced at a cheaper rate in comparison with that obtained 

 from locomotives or traction engines. When I examined the 

 various forms of possible road by which the distributed power 

 and distributed load could be conveyed, it seemed to me that 

 the single suspended rope or rod offered great advantages. The 

 smallest railway involved embankments, cuttings, and bridges, 



