‘G52 REPORT—-1883. 
5. On Blectric Launches. By J. Cuarx. 
The launch described is a wooden boat, clinker built, 21 feet long over all by 
4 feet 4inches beam, and drawing 12 inches of water with three or four persons on 
board. She is fitted with an electric motor coupled direct to the propeller shaft, 
-and her power is derived from two battery boxes 3 feet long by 8 inches wide, and 
12 inches high, which can be utilised as seats. The batteries require recharging 
with chemicals about every four hours of continuous use, one battery driving the 
boat at three quarters speed, while the other is being recharged. During several 
‘trials at Kilcreggan-on-Clyde, a speed of a little over five miles an hour was 
obtained, the motor running at 600 revolutions per minute. The weight of the 
boat complete, with batteries charged, is 4 cwt. These electric launches are 
now being built by Messrs. Gilbert Bogle & Co., of Glasgow, of varying sizes, from 
15 feet long and four miles per hour speed, to 80 feet long and seven miles per 
hour speed. 
6. On Electric Tramways.! By M. Hoxroyp Siru. 
The author said he had been led to consider the subject on account of a proposal 
to introduce tramways in the town of Halifax, which presented unusual difficulties 
owing to the narrow, tortuous, and steep character of many of the streets. Horse 
“traction he considered out of the question there, steam was doubtful owing to the 
objection the public had to it, and the cable system was inapplicable in consequence 
of the enormous outlay it would involve, many of the roadways being of solid rock. 
He then gave an account of the experiments he has made, and explained the plan 
which he had finally adopted. This is to lay a rectangular pipe or conduit under- 
ground between the rails, and to carry the electric conductors on insulated sup- 
ports within it. The current is collected by a carriage provided with sliding contact 
pieces, and running in the conduit, and is conducted to the motor on the car by a 
bracket projecting through a slot running lengthwise of the top of the conduit, like 
that which in the cable system permits of the passage of the gripping arm. The 
motor is connected by gearing with a large and broad driving wheel, which travels 
on the top of the central conduit. 
7. Secondary Batteries and the Economical Generation of Steam for 
Electrical Purposes. By W.W. Beaumont and C. H. W. Bicas. 
The first part of the paper referred to an investigation carried out during 
the past two years under the direction of Mr. D. G. Fitzgerald in conjunction 
with the authors, with the view of remedying the defects in secondary 
batteries of the Faure-Sellon-Volckmar type. The lead plates of such batteries 
were found frequently to fail in practice, because under the influence of the 
current they bend or buckle and two plates touch, when they are worse than 
useless, or the containing lead is acted upon, and the plugs become loose and drop 
out or do not touch the lead-holder sufficiently to make a good electric contact. 
The later experiments were carried out by Messrs. Schiassi and Dornbusch at 
the School of Electric Engineering. The investigations were (1) in regard 
to the cathode or reducing pole; and (2) relating to the anode or oxidising pole in 
-charging. In the ordinary form of battery the liberated hydrogen at the cathode 
soon separated more or less completely the active material from the supporting 
lead. After a long series of trials the lead support had been satisfactorily replaced 
by carbon, and the result seemed to give an almost perfect plate. But carbon 
‘cannot be so used for the anode, because peroxide of lead reacts upon it, and cannot 
be formed in its presence. Whilst, therefore, the available material is very much 
restricted at the anode, much can be done to render the material used less liable to 
deterioration. Two methods had been followed. One was to coat the lead support 
with material not acted upon detrimentally by dilute acid or by the electric current, 
1 Published in extenso by the author (Halifax). 
