A Chorus of Dissatisfaction—
The Company's Monopoly 'The supply of current for private lighting in the French Concession has, for some time past, been the subject of considerable' unfavour able comment from those who have to use it. The writer does not know if it is general, but certainly in some parts of the French Concession the resultant illumination from turning on the switch is often of the poorest kind imaginable, while the current has been known to be so weak—that when passed through the transformers, as it is in the bell systems, pressure on pushes absolutely fails to produce any audible result. The inconvenience to householders of this failure and the recognized bad effects of poor illumination are sufficient causes for complaint and this has been rife for some little time past.
In other instances it is sometimes found that the supply of current suffers from overmuch enthusiasm Lamps light up brilliantly, but sometimes before the pleased consumer has an opportunity of discovering whether the bells work or not the fuses are blown out, lamps spoiled and meters damaged, and when through no fault of the consumer the company has to repair the last named, the former finds that he is mulcted in the cost, The representative of a large electrical firm here states that constant complaints are being received from the French side, but that it is impos. sible to remedy most of them, which originate in fluctuations of voltag>. 'A higher volt lamp will burn dimly with a normal current, but will stand up against higher pressures; a lower volt lamp will give good light at low pressures, but at the expense of long life, even if it does not blow out right away.
To be perfectly fair to all parties it should be stated that steps have been taken by the company who hold a monopoly for the supply of current in the French Concession to rectify troubles that have ariseo on account of the war and the con. sequent inability to obtain supplies, that an expert has been consulted with regard to the existent plant and that his recommendations will probably be ca: ried out in the future. There is, also, we are informed, scheme for enlarging the plant at Lokawei, in assisting the consummation of which certain privileges ara likely to be extended to the com pany by the French Municipal Council in the shape of leasing further land for extensions.
History oF Tie Moxoroty.
Ju order that a sound opinion might be arrived at as to what can be done in the matter of obtaining a better supply the history of the monopoly held by the Compagnie Francaise de Tramways et d'Eclair-age Electriques de Shanghai is not without value. Originally the French Municipal Council manu-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.