'Electricity as an Tlluminant. 27 



I can ascertain, they find that the cost, without taking into 

 account the putting in of new fittings, is something varying 

 from one-third to one-half more, that is, that if they pay is. for 

 the gas they have to pay is. 4d, to is. 6d. for the electric light. 

 That appears to me to be the case for the Belfast public to con- 

 sider. Are they prepared to go in for the electric light at this 

 additional cost .? I do not think they have arrived at that yet. 

 I think the tendency of public opinion is that the Corporation 

 should go in for lighting a considerable area in the centre of 

 the town. Still there would be room for the gasworks, and the 

 Corporation would make a fearful mistake if they were to 

 think of throwing over the good bargain they obtained when 

 they purchased the gasworks some years ago. 



Mr. Andrews — Owing to the lateness of the hour you will 

 excuse me saying anything more than what occurred to-day. 

 The decision arrived at by the Corporation to-day was a very 

 prudent and wise one ; they determined to go ahead at once 

 with an initial installation of 10,000 lights, These lamps 

 will be principally suitable for lighting shops, hotels, etc., in 

 the centre of the town, and if this installation proves successful 

 further areas may easily be added. Mr. Greenhill's figures 

 were, I think, exceptionally favourable to the cost of electric 

 light in a private installation, and Mr. Barbour has corroborated 

 them as nearly as possible. Mr. Greenhill in his first calcula- 

 tion figured out that the cost of the unit would be somewhere 

 between 2d. and 6d. I take that to be the cost at the station, 

 and not the cost as delivered to the customer, because there is 

 considerable loss from the mains. If we can get the electric 

 light at 6d. or 8d. a unit delivered, the people of Belfast will 

 take it up. Mr. Perry said he considered electric light can be 

 manufactured as cheaply as gas in the same place. I cannot 

 understand that statement, because the cost of coal varies 

 enormously in different places. 



Mr. Perry — Allow me to explain. You make gas from coal ; 

 you generate electricity from coal. Then in the same place 

 assuming coal to be the same price whether you generate elec- 



