On Recent Improvements in Electric Lighting. 50 



ployment of single lights, fed by separate machines, appears 

 to have been accepted as being the best and most reliable 

 method ; for smaller places, or where the lights have to be 

 extended to a considerable distance, the alternate current 

 machines, with either specially contrived lamps or a candle 

 system, have been more successful. It is, however, certain 

 that up to the present time a subdivided light is not nearly 

 as economical as a direct one. 



Taking the whole subject into consideration, in what way 

 can we be said to have improved in electric lighting? I 

 think in very many ways. Firstly, we have gained an 

 amount of experience in practical requirements ; we are 

 finding out the especial merits of the several systems, and 

 are thus enabled to apply them advantageously and success- 

 fully. The generators and the lamps have undoubtedly 

 been lately improved ; the carbons also ; and the importance 

 of having the last-named of good quality simply means the 

 success or failure of any otherwise good system of lighting. 

 There is very little reason to doubt that in the earlier days 

 many failures occurred through the imperfections in the 

 carbons. No matter how good or efficient the Dynamo 

 machine or the lamp may be, with bad carbons they must 

 naturally work irregularly; and irregularity in any part of 

 the system, from the driving engine downwards, means 

 unsteadiness of the lio-ht. The demand for carbons soon led 

 to their improved make, and I believe they are now to be 

 obtained in a nearly as perfect condition as possible. 



Another point that cannot be overlooked, and in which 

 considerable improvements have recently been introduced, 

 is in the motors, or engines, with governors of a sensitive 

 form for driving the Dynamo machines with the same 

 regularity under varying conditions of force. 



It is a recognised fact that the motor that drives the 

 machine must do so with perfect steadiness, otherwise a 

 flickering light may be obtained. Many failures have 

 occurred in several systems by inattention to this point. 



On board two steamers that have lately been in this port 

 two systems of electric lighting were in use. On the "Potosi n 

 Siemens' alternate current machine, with six differential 

 lamps, was used, the Dynamo machine being driven by a 

 Tangye's four and a-half horse-power engine, fitted with 

 large fly-wheel and sensitive governor ; the system was de- 

 scribed as being perfectly satisfactory. 



The "Chimborazo" had one of the direct Gramme machines 



