THE DESTRUCTOR.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11339, 31 July 1902, Page 6

THE DESTRUCTOR.

TO TKB EDITOR OF THI PRESS. - Sir.. —I gaS&er from Mr Goodman's Tβport that "he estimates coat £he Desfcrooior should generate 82,86? units of saleable elet&ricity per annum, which, he cotssders ctrtild be'sold at 6d per unit, and that he afiso estimates the cost at £1122, -which -would leave a profit of £949. I <$o not for a moment question. Mr Goodman's figures -with respect to the generative power of Hfhe destructor, biA I i&mk. it is very unlikely t&ai 82.867 unite of electricity can be soH at 6d per unit, seeing that an equivalent of gae, either for ligbtrinjr or power, can be (drained very much more cheaply. lam venturing to send you a few figures, as the -public apparently do not grasp the position. The fact is .that in nearly ail calculations giving the respective values of gae ■and electricity, the estimates are based on the old-fashioned flat flame ga« burner, and the resolit then compared wklh tie modern incandescent electric light. I, however, think that, in fairness, it will be generally admitted that the proper comparison should 4>e between the modem incandescent gas "burner and the modern incandescent electric light. The modern incandescent gas burner, -with a Welsbadh mantle, gives candles per hour for each foot erf gas consumed. cording to Monro and Jan|keon's electric tables, 1 candlepower per hour of electricity requires 4 Watts, or l-25Oth of a unit ; therefore, 1 unit equals 250 candles for 1 "hour. iNow, as 1 foot otf gas equails 17£ candles, it wouM require a fraction under 14.3 fee* of gas ito produce 250 candles. Hofrever, if wa take 15 feet of gas as equal to 250 candles, then 15 feet of .gas equals one eJecftrical unit. The present selling price of gas for lighting purposes is 6s 3d per lOio feet; therefore. 15 feet of gas l£d. Is it, therefore, likely tfaat a unit of electricity can be sold for lighting purposes alt 6d if an equivalent of gas can t>9 'bought for l|d? If we compare the relative value of gas and electricity for power purposes, it will be found that, with a modern Westinghouse gas engine, 15 feet of gas 'will give 1 li.p. per hour. Now, 1 electric 'h.p. equalis 746 Watite, that is, 746-IOOOth of a unit; therefore, 15 feat of gas will gh-e the same .power a« 746-1000t>h of a unit of electricEy. Gas for power is sold here at 4s 6d per 1000 feet, so that 15 wfaich will .give 1 horse-power per hour, cosite 4-st.h <k a penny. 8o that, estimating 1 elecitrical .horse-poiwer at t!hree-fourtihs of a unit, electricity will have to be sold at a fraction less than 1 l-10t.h d per unit if it is to compete with, gae ac a power.

The ipnblic, oif course, are free agents to use electricity ii they prefer, it, but it is as well that before being committed "to any scheme they should understand the ctrauparaitive ccrst of gas and eleotrieitv. either for .power or illuminating purposes. —Yours, etc., R. C. BISHOP, Secretary Ohristchuroh Gas Company.