for the year 1883. xxv 



The only gain has been to the science of electric lighting, 

 for more perfect and more economical methods of producing 

 and using the light have from time to time been introduced, 

 and the generating machines, or dynamos, as they are called, 

 are not only much better, but much cheaper than a year ago. 

 The various forms of incandescent lamps are much superior. 

 The carbons of the arc lights are purer, and therefore give a 

 steadier light than formerly, while the conducting wires and 

 the methods of arranging them so as to combine efficiency 

 with safety have been greatly improved. I believe the 

 future prospects of electric lighting are good, for no one 

 denies the advantages it possesses over gas under many cir- 

 cumstances, such as for theatres, churches, public buildings, 

 &c; while, light for light, it appears to be as cheap as gas. 

 Such being the case, what is to prevent its unlimited exten- 

 sion, and the ultimate defeat of gas as an illuminant ? In a 

 lecture I gave some years ago at the Public Library I stated 

 that "the cost of distribution would, I am afraid, be a- 

 serious obstacle to its general use for domestic purposes." 

 Our experience up to the present time supports this view; 

 and it is found to be impracticable to distribute the current 

 for electric lighting over large areas from one centre except 

 at a great loss. If this illuminant were to be generally 

 adopted in Melbourne it would be necessary, in order to do 

 it economically, to have a distributing centre for every 

 square equal to that between Collins, Bourke, Elizabeth, and 

 Swanston streets ; and it will always be a most wasteful 

 plan to supply light to any but the most moderate distances 

 from the producing station. A year or two ago we were 

 induced to hope that this great difficulty would be over- 

 come by the use of the secondary or storage battery ; but 

 this is not yet realised, although we read of recent instances 

 where it has been used for local domestic illumination with 

 complete success and great economy. Should this be the 

 case, the field open for electric lighting and for the trans- 

 mission of power will be immensely widened, and we shalL 

 watch with great interest any progress in this direction. 



