1919 .] 
Reviews and Abstracts. 
61 
In this modest fashion are announced the most staggering conclusions 
yet formulated in the region of thermodynamics, having regard to the 
divinity that hedges in Regnault and his experiments. Of late years 
an immense amount of mathematical investigation has been devoted to 
the analysis of Regnault 5 s figures, and considerable “ smoothing ” of his 
results has eventuated. Nevertheless, an uneasy suspicion has been in 
evidence as to the accuracy of the whole series of values in the steam 
tables. This was partly due to the anomalous results of various trials on 
modern steam turbines with low vacuums, partly to the same thing on 
high-superheat engines, but chiefly, I now believe, to the knowledge of 
Aspinall’s work having leaked out as his experiments progressed. Whether 
his claims will be substantiated is, of course, an open question, but, if 
they are, all existing steam tables become valueless. This will be the less 
disastrous as the new equations are so beautifully simple. 
S. H. J. 
Electric-power Supply in Great Britain. ' Report of the Committee 
appointed by the British Board of Trade to consider the Question 
of Electric-power Supply. London : Cd. 9062. 
The report of the Electric-power Supply Committee appointed by the 
British Board of Trade has now been published. The following is a state¬ 
ment of the terms of reference : “To consider and report what steps should 
be taken, whether by legislation or otherwise, to insure that there shall be 
an adequate and economical supply of electric power for all classes of con¬ 
sumers in the United Kingdom, particularly industries which depend upon 
a cheap supply of power for their development.” 
The conclusions and recommendations arrived at are summarized in the 
report as follows :— 
(a.) That a new body, to be called the Electricity Commissioners, should be set up, 
to whom should be transferred the existing powers of the Board of Trade, 
Local Government Board, Local Government Board for Ireland, and Scottish 
Office, relating to the supply of electricity, and to whom large additional 
powers should be given for regulating and encouraging the generation and 
distribution of electricity. (Paras. 29 and 30.) 
(b.) That the Electricity Commissioners should, subject to an appeal to Parliament 
in certain cases, have general control over the generation and distribution 
of electricity in the United Kingdom. (Para. 71.) 
(c.) That the existing system under which electricity is separately generated for 
small areas should be abolished. (Paras. 11 and 32.) 
(d.) That the Electricity Commissioners should, after local inquiries, divide the 
United Kingdom into districts technically suitable for the economical gene¬ 
ration and distribution of electricity. (Paras. 31 and 32.) 
(e.) That in each electrical district a District Electricity Board should be set up 
which should purchase all generating-stations of authorized distributors, 
whether local authorities, companies, or power companies. (Paras. 37 to 40, 
48 to 53, and 56.) 
(/.) That the District Electricity Board should be responsible, by themselves or 
their lessees, for the future generation of electricity in their district, and 
for the establishment of new generating-stations and proper systems for 
the main transmission of electricity in their district. (Paras. 44 to 47 and 
58 to 64.) 
(g.) That existing electrical undertakers should, if they so desire, retain their power 
of distributing electricity within their local areas, but should purchase 
electricity in bulk from the District Electricity Boards or their lessees, due 
provisions being made for controlling the profits of distributors so as to 
ensure a cheap supply of electricity to consumers. (Paras. 65 to 68.) 
( h .) That District Electricity Boards should make no divisible profits. (Para. 47.) 
