The Electrical Engineer and The Secretary.
Sale of Lampsto Consumera.—A report by the Electrical Engineer is submitted pointing out that while the Resolution of the Ratepayers in January 1904 in respect to the sale of fittings did not preclude the sale by the Council of lamps, the discontinuance of the sale militates against the successful working of the Department. He attributes a considerable portion of such dissatisfac tion with the supply ax exists to the inferior quality of the lamps with which the market is flooded. The present time appears particularly suitable for introducing a change in view of the advent of metallic filament lamps upon a commercial scale. After full considera tion of- this question the Committee records a strong recommendation to the Council that the practice be re-introduced. The members consider that no more than a fractional profit, say 2 per cent, should be charged since the lamps will be sold with a view only to increasing the output of current.
Note—In respect to the abore the Council decivtes to publish the report in the first place, with a view to obtaining an expression of public opinion on the point raised.
SALE OF LAMPS, When a few years ago the sale of fittings by this department was stepped at the wish of the ratepayers, there was 10 mandate to prevent the sale of incandescent lamps. The Council, however, decided that the department should not sell Iamps to consumers. In my opinion this was a mistake for in a short time the market became inundated swith lamps of a very inferior quality. Although at the present time good lamps may be obtained, there is " very large proportion of inferior lamps in use. Bad Iamps not only give poorer light but consume more energy. The result is that consumers complain bad lighting and increased bills for! electricity. This state of things is bad both for the consumer and the supply authority, for the one feels he is paying heavily for poor lighting, the other realizes that dissatisfaction is gaining ground amongst consumers. Tu one instance a large club complained about the low pressure of supply and bad lighting. Investigation proved the pressure to be slightly above the declared standard but the lamps were of such inferior quality that the general illuminating effect was most depressing. The lamps were all changed and in their place were pat lamps which department imports for its own use the improvement was very noticeable. Many Chinese consumers are yearly lost because their lighting is poor and their bills high; yet the department cannot supply them with good lamps and so retain their custom. The Council, in the various departments, notably the Police, use many hundreds of lamps each year. It would seem rational if these lamps were supplied by the Electricity Department at a small profit, although it would pay if just the cost price—including charges—were mule the various departments would benefit not only in obtaining their lamps cheaper but would obtain better articles. The advantages to be gained by the department and the consumer mntuall gests that the Council should seri consider the question of selling lamps to consumers, The advent of the metallic filament Jamp on n commercial scale amplifies the advantages in favour of selling Tamps to consumers.
the present time the prime' cost of the metallic Lump is much higher than the ordinary carbon filament lamp in use. For an equal! candle power, however, the current consumed is less thea half, Their life—under normal conditions—is longer. The light emitted is whiter, thus giving the effect of greater brilliance, a property appreciated by the average consumer but by the Chinese consumer in any extraordinary degree: witness their partiality t0 the incandescent gas in all" its garishness. Although their first cost is higher, experience shows that it is far wore economical to use them both on account of their longer life and their economy in current consumption, The first thing which may strike the Committee is—if we introduce these very economical lamps ona large scale,—what becomes of our profits, for the sales of electricity will be greatly reduced? For) a time the sales would perhaps decrease but even though the Council allows the department to sell these new lamps to consumers it will be a matter of considerable time before so many are! connected that an appreciable difference will be felt on an existing total of over! 150,000 lamps. By that time the number of consumers—particularly Chinese—who on account of the cheapening of electric lighting will have been connect-, is generally admitted, has come upon the market at an opportune time and it will doubtless accomplish for electricity what the Welsbach did for gas.
There is a vast field in Shanghai amongst the Chinese for electric lighting but the cost, with the ordinary carbon lamp in use, is outside the reach of the majority. Furthermore, it is not sufficiently brilliant to attract them for they much prefer a glare to artistic lighting. We have some native houses in the Foochow Road district illuminated with metallic filament lamps aod the consumers are very satisfied. In the same district are similar houses in which the ordinary carbon lamps were installed, but with few exceptions the consumers have reverted to incandescent gas because the illumination for the same cost is inferior to the other houses where metallic lamps are in use.
Tam conident that if the department be allowed to sell these new lamps the accretion of consumers will more than justify step.
Metallic lamps are not yet successful on 200 volt supply but they are on 100 volts. Almost all our consumers are supplied at 200 volts. To reduce the pressure to 100 volts, each consum or group of consumers, must have a small transformer installed as part of installation. The cost of transformers for 1 installation is about Tls. 14 bat the consumer has to pay this additional charge a great part of the saving of cheaper lighting is lost. Therefore, the fairest' way and one satisfactory to both supplier and coner is to charge a swell rental similar to the meter rent now charged but based oe the capital cost of 6 per cent and a depreciation at 10 per cent representing the life of the transformer. This smal charge, about eighteen cents per month, would not be felt by the consumer neither would any loss be suffered by the department.
I regard this matter as of very great importance and recommend ordering at once 200 small transformers and some "Osram" lamps. For the future development of the undertaking the Chinese consumer must be secured. I look to the metallic filament lamp as the first means to that end.
T. H. U. Auvnivox, Electrical Engineer, Street Incandescent Lighting.—A reed—will more than compensate for the' port by the Engineer is submitted temporary set-back. The introduction containing proposals for the improve: of the Welsbach incandescent gas ment of street lighting by incandescent mantle some years ago scared the gus {electricity at a greatly reduced cost to companies in' England because they the public. From figures submitted it thought the consumption of gas would appears that the Department can with be materially reduced. As it turned advantage install 0 candle power out the mantle was the salvation of the, lamp at the rate of Tls. 30 per annum gas interests and did more than anything instead of Tls. 60 as now charged, and to set back the advance of electric light-ithe Committee recommends that the and the cheapening of gas new lamp at this price be substituted ting enabled the poorer classes, who wherever existing street incandescent hitherto had used oil or candles, to use lamps are in use. The hope is aleo gas, thereby enormously increasing the expressed that the system will be number of consumers and the quantity further extended as and when ite of gas sold, The metallic filament, it advantages become evident.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.