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18
friars where it is transformed to a pressure of 2,500 volts, at which
it is conveyed to the consumers' premises and then again transformed
to about 100 volts before used for lighting. The mains which
convey this enormous pressure cost about £2,000 per mile, the copper
in them being only about five-eighths of an inch thick, and are laid
underground from the station to the South Eastern Railway, near
Deptford Station, and thence along the railway to London Bridge,
where they are again carried underground to the sub-stations. The
two larger dynamos (Ferranti) which generate the current at 10,000
volts are driven by engines of 1,500 h.p., made by Hargreaves of
Bolton, and are used during the evening when the demand for light
increases. Two smaller engines of 700 h.p. which run during the
day, drive dynamos, each generating current at 2,500 volts, which is
transformed to 10,000 volts before it leaves the station. In addition
to these engines, the Company have a small triple expansion condensing
engine of 300 h.p., made by Plenty, of Newberry, for running the
night load when the other engines are shut down. The boilers, 24
in number, are of the Babcock-Wilcox type, but they are not yet all
in use. The whole of the premises occupy an area of about three
acres, with a riverside frontage. Welsh coal is delivered by barges
to the Company's yard at 16s. per ton, and water for condensing
purposes is obtained direct from the river. The main building,
which is 196 feet by 210 feet by 100 feet, gives sufficient room
for plant for half-a-million lights. The existing plant is capable
of doing 100,000 lights. At the time of your Sub-Committee's
visit, about 50,000 8 c.p. lights were installed, the number of
consumers being about 500. Your Committee is informed that the
demand for light is increasing, and that but for one or two unfortunate
stoppages which have occurred the number of lights supplied
would have been much larger. According to the published returns
which have been issued, this Company at the end of 1891 had
expended on capital account the sum of £753,428, the revenue for
the year being £15,560, as against an expenditure of £22,518, a loss
during the year of £6,958. The cost of production per unit
delivered to consumer for 1891 is shewn at 11.59d., while the price
charged was 7¼d. A dividend of 6 per cent. was paid by the Company
in 1890 on the preference shares, the £5 ordinary shares being now
quoted at ¾-1, while the preference shares are at l½-2.