Gas v. Electricity.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 146, 2 June 1884, Page 2

Gas v. Electricity.

[Per Press Association.] Wellington, June 2. Dr. Lemon, Superintendent of Telegraphs, has made exhaustive and practical experiments regarding the relative advantages of gas and electricity for domestic lighting. A year ago Dr. Lemon went in for lighting his private house on the Terrace throughout by electricity, the plant consisting of a one-horse power gas engine, a Sieman’s dynamo, and Swan’s incandescent lamps, costing a little under £2OO. During twelve months eleven lamps of twenty-candle power each were kept constantly burning during 1,113 hours. The gas consumed by the gas engine was 55,630 feet, and the cost at Bs. per thousand was £22 55.. The sum of 7s. 6d. was expended on repair to the machinery, and twelve lamps, costing ss. 6d. each, were broken, principally, however, during the first two months before the apparatus was in complete working order. To produce the same amount of light fourteen Christiana flat plume gas-burners, each consuming 62 feet of gas per hour, would have been required, and these would have consumed

93,492 feet of gas, and the cost at 10s. per 1,000 (the price charged for lighting gas) would have been £l6 15s. The experiments were conducted with the most rigid care, the most elaborate records being kept. Dr. Lemon has also found a species of New Zealand grass especially suitable when charred for use and carbons in the incandescent lamps, and has sent home specimens to. Mr. Siemens, the eminent English electrician, with whom he is in constant correspondence.