G.— ENGINEERING. 167 



the whole of the lines to be electrified. The result was a total of nearly 

 7,000,000,000 units, equivalent to an output of 160 units 'per capita — • 

 a figure almost identical with the railway consumption estimated in the 

 survey of certain railways in some of the United States. At a load factor 

 of 40 per cent., this output would represent a maximum demand of 

 practically 2,000,000 kw. 



Summarising these figures, the following total is obtained : — 



Domestic, &c. 

 Industrial power 

 Railway traction only 



Total 



The aggregate maximum demand is 19,200,000 kw., but an allowance 

 for some diversity should be made on this output of 47,000 X lO*' units 

 which would probably reduce the maximum demand to 15,500,000 kw., 

 representing an annual load factor on the whole output of about 35 per cent. 



This, then, is a reasonably possible output to be provided for at some 

 future date — an expansion which can only be met by a much larger con- 

 ception of the methods of generation and transmission than has hitherto 

 been adopted. Such a figure may be criticised as being entirely visionary 

 and quite unlikely of attainment— but is it really so ? Development has 

 been accelerating during the last few years : improvements which are 

 already being carried out will certainly have a further economic effect, 

 and the whole trend of public requirements, domestic consumption, public 

 health improvement, improved means of transport, better organisation of 

 industry, and a greater use of power, with improved machine tools, are all 

 tending to a greatly increased application of electricity as being the 

 readiest agent for these purposes. This is a development which cannot be 

 denied, and must not be overlooked by those entrusted with the design 

 of the future electrical systems in this country. 



The recent survey in nine of the United States before referred to 

 showed that at the time of the survey 86 per cent, of the prime movers 

 was steam-driven, only 13 per cent, was derived from water-power, and 

 10 per cent, from internal-combustion engines. The output from the 

 steam plant was 83 per cent, of the whole, and from water-power about 

 15 per cent. 



The rate of growth in five years — i.e. between 1917 and 1922 — -was 

 63 per cent., or an average of 12.6 per cent, per annum on the 1917 figures, 

 which may be compared with the 20 per cent, annual increase in Great 

 Britain. 



The powerful and skilled Committee made this exhaustive survey with 

 a view to regulating throughout that area the proper kind of development 

 of so important an industry as electricity supply, which, in the United 

 States, is considered so indispensable not only for industrial expansion 

 but also for railway electrification and for general domestic purposes. 

 This Committee endeavoured to envisage the output which may be expected 

 in the year 1950, when the population of the area in question is estimated 



