I 402
��[Vol. v., So. UBi
��would be produced in the wire, wbich would take energy from the Ningara end at the rate of 26,2JiO-hor8e power, and only 5.250-hor8e power would be lost by the generation and dis- sipation of heat through the conductors ; and thus 21,000-horse power would be available at the cities above mentioned. According to Sir William Thomson's calculation, it will be seen that eighty per cent of the energy would be thus transmitted. He also supposed that the solid copper wire was supported, like the ordi- nary telegraph-wire, upon poles, and found that an electric spark would not be produced between wires electrified to the diffei-ence of potential of 80,000 volts, unless they were within three-quarters of an inch apart: there could not be, therefore, great difficiillj in the insulation. The co)it of the cop|wr conductor was reckoned at 8185,000; and the interest upon this at five per cent is 89,500 a year.
At the time these remarks wera made, great hopes bad been excited by the invention of the Faure storage- battery ; and Sir William Thom- son closed his adilress by a glowing picture of the possibility of keeping a Faure battery of 40,000 cells constantly charged, we will say in New Yoik, and applying a methodical system of removing sets of 50, and placing them upon local supply-circuits, while sets of 50 are re- placed upon the main conductor.
The electromotive force of a Faure cell ia in the neighborhood of 2 volts ; and 50 cells would give 100 volts, which would be sufficient to supply several arc-ligbts. Thus the great electi'omotive force of BO, 000 volts could be ' subdivided. Un Fortunately, however, it has been found that the Faure battery is not per- manent, or even fairly so. It can be said, without esaggcration. that its working-life is less than a year, and during the time of its best estate it cannot be depended u[H>n. Many attempts have been made to i>erfect the Faure cell, and other forms of electrical ac- cumulators i but no form of storage- battery is a commercial success at this present writing. It is not, however, beyond the power of inven- tion to devise a system of what are called step- down dynamo-machines, by means of which the great difference of potential of 80.000 volts can be subdivided and utilizctl on differ- ent circuits. A number of small dyuamo- macbincs could be conncctecf with the great copper conductor leading to Niagara Falls in such a manner that the energy transmitted by this conductor could be distributed over a lai^e extent of territory, either in the shape of light or power.
The diatriliution of light from a great central
���station has already been accomplished. The system of village -lighting devised hj- Edison can now be studied by those who are interested iU'the employment of the energy of Niagara Falls for a similar purpose. The limitations of distance apply to the present ccntr.il electric- lighting stations ; and those who are sceptical in regard to the great plan of utilizing Niagara Falls as a source of ene:^- make a stroug poiut when they ask why the system of great central stations has not been rapidly increased. It is true that abundance of water-power takes the place of coal ; but the cost of the long con- ductora, the maintenance of the insulation, and the interest on the cost of any method of siib- diiisioo, must also be considered, and may be found to offset the cheapness of the source of the energy. We imagine, moreover, that few towns or cities would be willing to depend for their light on a scat of energy so remote as even fifty miles, to say nothing of three hun- dred. An accident to the copper conductor, due to the falling of a tree, or to some mischievous action, could plunge a city into darkness. If the conductor were placed underground, defective insulation would enter, and produce the same result. Even if the system of utilizing Niagara Falls as a source of electrical energy shonld be adopted, a sup- plementary Bjstem of lighting would have to bo maintained in every city.
It is not safe to assume, that, if this lai-ge scheme of utiliziug Niagara Falls could be made successful, business enterprise would already have moved in this direction ; for capital, it is well known, is extremely oonser- valive. The true reason that large sources of water-power have not been utilized for electric lighting on a large scale, is due to the fact tliat the small details, and what are called the small items, assume great proportions, and bid fair to consume all |)ro8ts which come IVom a saving of coai. Thus the city of Buffalo could have been lighted by the utilization of the water-power along Niagara River : and we cannot believe that the failure to do so has been due either to the opposition of the gas companies, or to the lack of imagination of capitalists. In short, the facility with whioh energy in the slinije of coal can be transported from plai« to place counterbalances at present the cheapness of a very remote source of energy in the shape of a waterfall.
The reasons for and against the utilization of the energy of Niagara Falls as a source of light apply also to the question of the electrical transmission of power, with this excepliont that the electrical transmission of power haft
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