HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17038, 20 December 1918, Page 4

HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

WORLD-WIDE USE.

DEVELOPMENT DURING WAR.

A recent report by the Committee on Electric Trades appointed by the British Board of Trade states" Tho prosperity of industries depends largely on cheap energy for driving machinery, and even a fractional reduction in prico is of importance in determining tho 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 connection the Tata hydro-elec-tric undertaking in India is interesting. It is a scheme to provide approximately 100,000 horse power for 3600 hours per year from valleys which have hitherto been dry for nine months of the year. This undertaking depends for its water supply on the storage of the monsoon rains. The scheme, as yet incomplete, 16 nevertheless in operation. It was financed in India, and during the first 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 loss to the enemy of a considerable porportion of its own mines and the rising price and difficulty of transportation for imported fuel. Promptly, and ! in spite of many difficulties, it has proceeded with hydro developments and by tbo end of this year will have , 1,100,000 horse-power developed, an increase of 450,000 horse-power since 1910, two-thirds of which has been secured since war broke out. Italy, lacking coal, is an excellent field for water-power development, and through the Allgemeine Elektricitats Gesellschaft the Germans secured a hold on Italian industry, and by 1910 515,000 horse-power was developed. Since the outbreak of war, - tho 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, 209,000-, horse-power were granted in 1917, and that in December, 1917, there were 218 requests for concessions, estimated at 816,000 horse-power, in course of examination. i ...

Neutral countries are well aware that they will have to corapeto 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 the national importance of power, that a suggestion has been put forward for a triangular agreement whereby Norway and Sweden should export hydro-electric power to Denmark, Norway to make up any power deficiencies caused thereby in southern Sweden, where the water-powers are less extensive than in the north. Barcelona, the " Manchester" of Spain a city of 300,000. is replacing steampower by hydro-electricity, and a Canadian company has already completed a largo portion of an extensive system of reservoirs and hydro-electric stations on the Noguera Pallaresa and Segre Rivers. Switzerland has been called the "in-' dustrial annexe of Germany, and in 1910, 25 por cent, of its 2,000,000 available water horse-power had already been I