AIR CLOCKS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3683, 4 May 1883, Page 4

AIR CLOCKS.

Says tho London Globe : —Although the grand, programme relating to works of public utility in Franco has been modiiied considerably of late, and their execution retarded by various causes which it would be long to enumerate, there has been no hitch in carrying out that part of the scheme which is concerned with the supply of compressed air for practical uses in the capital. It will be remembered that the original Hcliomo included the working, by means of this agency, not only of clocks in the municipal buildings and offices and in private houses, but also of electric lighting and of various motors for commercial purposes. Of these designs the first.mentioned is the only one which lias }'et been realised to any large extent; but in this, at any rate, namely, the perfecting by the new power a distribution of force to the Parisian clocks, rapid progress is being made. Before the end of last year it was announced that no fewer than GOOO clocks of various kinds, chiefly exposed to public view, were regulated in this way in three of the most populous arroudissements of the capital. A short delay will now suffice to establish the system in all tho other districts, including the whole area within the fortifications, and even to extend it to some of the principal suburbs. Already about (30,000 feet of conduits have been laid, and ojic at least of the' branch stations for storing the air has boon (tomploted and fitted irp for use.. The principal works at which the compressing process is performed arc situated in tho Rue Menilmontant and occupying an area of about 7000 square yards. Tho air is compressed to a normal pressure of six atmospheres, but the force actually employed in the local service is not so much as half of this. When tho project has been fully worked out tho. whole city will be. supplied with conduits and accumulators, and tho motive force will bo. supplied to those who require it at a set price in much the same way as. gas and water.