HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16406, 28 December 1918, Page 12

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

WORLD-WIDE USE

A recent report by the Committee on Electric Trades appointed by the British Board of Trade .states: —"The prosperity of industries depends largely on cheap energy for driving machinery, and even a fractional reduction in price is of importance in determining the ability of manufacturers to compete in the world's markets." •Stock, too, is being taken of the water powers of the British Isles. In this connexion the Tata hydroelectric undertaking in India is interesting. It is a scheme to provide ;i pproximately 100,000 horse power for Stillo hours per year from valleys which havo hitherto been dry- for niue months of the year. This undertaking depends tor its water supply on the storage or the monsoon rains. The scheme, as yet incomplete, is nevertheless in opera"iion. It was financed in India, and during the lirst year of operation earned and paid a dividend on its full capital.

France, until the war an importer of one-third of its coal, was faced by the ]i.«s to the enemy ol" a considerable portion of its own mines and the rising juice and difficulty of transportation lor imported fuel. Promptly, and in spite of many difficulties, it has proceeded nith hydro developments, and by the end of this year will havo 1.100,000 horse-power developed, an increase of 4"iO.OCMJ horse-power since 1910, twothirds of which has been secured since ivar broke out.

Italy, lacking eoal. is an excellent field for water-power development, and through the Allgemeine Elektricitats the Germans secured • a hold on Italian industry, and by 3 fHO ."315,000 horse-power was developed. •Since the outbreak of war, the Italian Government has not merely broken the Teutonic hold, but has proceeded with an active water-power policy. A recent news item states that concessions for 21/S .000 horse-power were granted in lt»17, and that in December, 1017, there vcre 218 requests for concessions, estimated at 810,000 horse-power, in course of examination.

Neutral countries aro well aware that thev will have to-compete in a much keener market after the war, and there are signs of stimulated activities in the Scandinavian countries.

Information collected during 1915 by the Dominion Water Power Branch indicated that Norway had .5,500,000 water horse-power available, of which 1,120,000 turbine horse-power was developed, 400,000 horse-power being utilised for nitrogen fixation. Denmark has practically no waterpower.. and it is interesting to note, as indicating tb.o national .importance of power, that a suggestion has been put forward for a triangular agreement whereby Norway and Swoden should export. hydro-electric power to Denmark. Norway to ' make up any power deficiencies caused thereby in southern Sweden, where the water-pow-ers are ]ess extensive than in the .north. Barcelona, "the " ''Manchester" of Spain, a city of 300,000, is replacing steam-power by hydro-electricity, and a Canadian company has already completed a large portion of an extensive system of reservoirs and hydro-electric stations on the Noguera Pallaresa and Besro Rivers. •

Switzerland has been called tho "industrial annexe" of Germany,. and in 1910, 25 per cent, of its 2,000,000 availnblo water horsc-powcr had already been develoned.