294 ELECTRIC LIGHTING. 



the surrounding atmosphere ; and in the second place, there 

 would be nothing to fear from the chances of explosions and 

 fires, nor would the decorations of an apartment be spoiled. 

 Besides, the white light does not change the natural hues of 

 the illuminated objects, and this may be a great advantage 

 for drapers' and other shops where the effects of colours have 

 to be considered. Lastly, on account of the diminished 

 risks, assurance companies will evidently be able to lower 

 their rates. 



With regard to expense, it may be that electric lighting 

 will prove cheaper than gas, although the trials already made 

 seem to show the contrary ; but we must remember that 

 these trials are not yet perfect, and we see already that since 

 the erection of the JablochkofT system in the Avenue de 

 rOper a, the cost of each electric light, which was at first 

 said to be five times that of gas, was lowered by one-half in 

 the estimate given by the company to the city of Paris, and 

 we think this might again be halved so as to bring the cost 

 to only 40 centimes per hour for each light. It may be said, 

 it is true, that the cost of gas for an equivalent light is only 

 27 centimes; but let us suppose that the globes, which ab- 

 sorb 45 per cent, of the light produced, stopped only 24 per 

 cent., as Clemendot believes he can guarantee, the cost 

 would fall below that of gas. These data, it must be under- 

 stood, are merely approximative, and I quote the above 

 figures only in order to show that it would not be impossible 

 to produce the electric light at a cost within reach of prac- 

 tice. In any case the Company which works the Jablochkoff 

 candles has rendered an immense service by showing the 

 possibility of lighting of public thoroughfares by the electric 

 light, which had before that been doubted. We have to 

 thank the initiative taken by the Company, and the beautiful 

 experiments it instituted, for electric lighting having become 

 a question of the day, and in every country new researches 

 have been prosecuted, which will sooner or later lead to 

 the solution of the problem. Several towns in Europe and 



