Anniversary Address. xxxi. 



into mechanical force, with a marginal loss of not more than 20 per 

 cent.; frictional resistance and the deterioration of the materials com- 

 posing the instrument, caused by continuous working, being reduced 

 to a minimum. The principles involved in the construction of these 

 machines have been known to scientific men for some years ; but their 

 practical introduction is due to M. Gramme, whose efforts have been 

 the immediate cause of the marvellous advance that has been made in 

 the last few years in the utilizing of electricity. We have already 

 in this city examples of one form of electric action — I refer, of 

 course, to the transformation of electric into heat energy, so as to 

 produce incandescent electric light. The principal arguments in 

 favour of electric light are that it is colourless, and thus enables 

 us not only to see pictures and flowers by it as perfectly as we can by 

 sunlight, but also to carry on photography and many other industries 

 as well at night as during the day. It is free from those products of 

 combustion which not only heat the lighted apartments, but substitute 

 carbonic acid and deleterious sulphur compounds for the oxygen upon 

 which respiration depends ; and supports growing plants instead of 

 poisoning them. Interesting experiments have for some time been 

 made as to the influence of the electric light on wheat, oats, and 

 barley, and it has noAV been conclusively proved that, so far from its 

 having any harmful effect, cereals placed under the influence of an 

 electric lamp grow much more rapidly than those which are exposed only 

 to the light of the sun ; whereas any one who has tried to keep plants 

 in a room constantly lighted with gas knows only too well how prone 

 they are to wither and die. 



As we have lately heard, this light has already been introduced 

 into English mines, and there can be no doubt but that it will ere long- 

 supersede gas in all public places and large halls ; but it does not seem 

 probable that it will for some time compete with it successfully as a 

 means of lighting smaller buildings. The great convenience of gas 

 for heating as well as lighting is a strong argument in its favour, 

 whilst for the degrees of temperature ordinarily required electricity 

 is hardly available. For intense heat, however — I mean above 

 1,800° C. — it possesses advantages that far surpass any offered by 

 combustion. It is hardly too much to hope that ere long there 

 will be in this colony iron furnaces worked by the current generated 

 by neighbouring rivers or tidal waves. Owing to the comparative 

 smallness of our towns, the great advantage of this as a means of 

 avoiding smoke-fogs may not seem at present a question of practical 

 importance, but when we consider the probable increase of factories, 

 and the rapid growth of our cities, and that from the imperfect 

 combustion of coal there is a constant exhalation of carbonic oxide, 



