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Sir, is it unreasonable to say that if these people can work so
much more economically than a local station, their maximum
should be at least limited to that of the local station, namely,
7d. Upon the question of economy, I propose to call a technical
witness
But, Sir, I think possibly my principal objection to the London
Company's scheme is that it is a huge experiment, as I have
told you. It is an experiment from first to last; it is an experiment
as far as the dynamo is concerned, it is an experiment as
far as the distance is concerned, it is an experiment as far as
the concentric main is corcerned, it is an experiment as far as
the rigidity of main is concerned, it is an experiment as far as
insulation is concerned, it is an experiment as far as the double
conversion is concerned. I do not say that these Problems have
not been satisfactorily solved on a small scale, they have more
or less, possibly; and possibly you may reason that because
you can fit up a dynamo to supply a certain number of lights
therefore it is a mere matter of mechanical calculation to construct
a dynamo on a larger scale; but still, Sir, to that extent
it is a huge experiment, and the Vestry of St. James's would
very much prefer that the experiment should be kept out of
their area rather than that they should be experimented upon.
I have dealt rather at some length with these objections—rather at
greater length than I intended—because I am anxious to show
you, and the representatives of the London Company, that these
objections have not been taken lightly. They really formed the
subject of mature deliberations on the part of the Vestry, after
an experience of a considerable number of years; and we say
that we have made arrangements with the two Companies which
we believe will secure us the maximum amount of convenience,
and the minimum amount of waste. Some amount of waste we
admit there will be, by having two Companies at work in the
same area, but our arrangements will give us, we think, the
most effective competition with the minimum of waste. But
this competition being effective, something more than potential,
being actually operative, will enable us to satisfactorily solve the
question of districting at an earlrer period than would otherwise
have been the case. We say we would much rather be without
the London Company, but if the London Company get their