ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 13 
but, had the electricity been used through the medium of incan- 
descent lamps, the verdict might have been different. The finest 
examples of the latter kind of lighting which I came across were 
at the Savoy Theatre, in London, and the Alhambra Court in the 
Crystal Palace. In both these cases the lighting was very effective 
and agreeable. 
The dynamo-electric machines for generating the necessary 
currents were continually being improved; at all events, new 
patents were following in quick succession ; and I could not learn 
that any one form of dynamo was considered clearly superior to 
others. The number of fatal accidents that had occurred in the 
use of machines giving electricity of high tension was leading to 
the invention of machines of a different type, worked at lower 
speed, and producing currents of less intensity. I had an oppor- 
tunity of inspecting the largest dynamo-electric machine yet 
constructed, the invention of Mr. Gordon, Engineer of the Tele- 
graph Construction and Maintenance Company, at Greenwich. 
This machine weighed about 18 tons; the wheel carrying the 
revolving electro-magnets was 9 feet in diameter, and weighed 
7 tons. When I saw it in action it was keeping up 1,300 Swan 
lights of sixteen or twenty candles each, but it was said to be 
capable of running 5,000 such lights. 
I visited the works of the Electric Power and Storage Company 
at Millwall, where about 400 men were employed in the 
manufacture of secondary batteries. The Faure-Sellon-Volckmar 
battery there made was the favourite one at that time, and great 
expectations were cherished of its value in promoting the applica- 
tion of electricity to lighting, and as a source of mechanical 
power. To exemplify the latter application, the Company had 
fitted up a boat with electric propeller ; it made frequent trips 
on the Thames, and attained a good speed. At the time of my 
visit there was also a street tramcar being fitted up with electric 
motive power; it was afterwards put in operation, but with 
doubtful success. By recent accounts I learn that secondary 
batteries have developed weaknesses which, if not overcome, wil 
stand materially in the way of their general adoption. 
