GAS v. ELECTRICITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6613, 27 January 1883, Page 2 (Supplement)

GAS v. ELECTRICITY.

It 19 stated on theauthority of Dr. J. E. Taylor, F.U.S., in his Notes on Popular Science, that the question of gas v. electricity is about to be submitted to a practical test. The gas companies throughout England have challenged the electric lighting companies to a competition in the following manner. One half of Crystal Palace is to be lighted with gas, and the other half with electricity, so that the public may judge for themselves which ; method is the cheaper, cleaner, and more generally illuminative, it will.be interesting to learn the result, for, if the contest is fairly carried out, it should be practically conclusive. Dr. Taylor says corporations will carefully watch and interest themselves in the exhibition, for it is the lighting of cities that the question at issue is of the greatest importance. But everyone who uses gas, or who owns gas shares, not only iu England, but all over the world, i 3 concerned iu the resulc. It seems 'hat the gas companies have been emboldened to throw down the giove to the electric compauies by the fact that vast improvements have recently been made in gas lighting, improvements which they think will enable them to gain, at a less cost, every obj-ct that is to be gained by ttie usu of electricity. The electric light scare has no doubt done a vast amount of good iu stimulating gas companies to improve thfir methods and sludy the wants of the public.