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57
The Committee thought it advisable, before coming to a
decision as to the desirability of adopting the Electric Light,
to try experiments with incandescent gas lamps and
ordinary gas burners of increased size. They accordingly
instructed the Surveyor to increase the consumption of gas
in eight of the lamps on the west side of Regent Street,
between Vigo Street and Maddox Street, by altering the
size of the burners, two being changed from 5ft. to 7ft.
three to 8ft. and three to 10ft. per hour. Incandescent gas
burners were also fixed on three lamps in the same section
of the street, and also on three refuge lamps in the centre
of the thoroughfare.
At the same time two Arc-lamps of different heights
were put up in Regent Street bj' Vigo Street and Swallow
Street, in order that the effect of Electric Lighting from the
centre of that thoroughfare might be seen. These experiments
were specially viewed, when the opinion was
generally expressed that the street was very much better
illuminated by the arc lamps than by the incandescent gas
lamps or the larger gas burners. The experiments, moreover,
with the incandescent gas lamps did not prove
satisfactory.
Recognising that the adoption of electricity as the
illuminant for the main streets of the parish, which are
crowded at night time with vehicular and pedestrian traffic,
would vastly increase the lighting of such thoroughfares;
that public street lighting by electricity is being adopted
by numerous local authorities throughout London and the
provinces; and that the adopGion of such a system of
lighting in St. James's would tend to make the parish more
attractive and prominent as a West End business locality