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An important provision is made, enabling the Vestry, by deed, to transfer
their powers, duties, liabilities, and works, under this Order to any Company or
person for such rent or other pecuniary consideration as may be agreed on, and on
such transfer the transferees become the "undertakers" under the order, and the
Vestry may resume the undertaking on certain circumstances arising. The Board
of Trade is empowered to remedy the system and works of the "undertakers" on it
being proved, that they are not in accordance with the Order, or are dangerous to
the public, or affect any telegraphic lines, and the " undertakers" are made responsible
for any damages or accidents caused to passengers by their works.
(b) ADVANTAGES.
It may be convenient to summarize here the leading advantages which have
been proved by experience to be possessed by the Electric Light. These are as
follows:—
(1.) The air is not vitiated, and consequently health is better maintained,
and furniture, tapestry, and book-bindings are not injured. The
injurious effects which gas has upon flowers, birds, &c., are not present
where electricity is used for lighting purposes, and in warehouses and
show rooms where materials of delicate hues and textures are dealt with,
Electric Lighting must prove an invaluable substitute for gas. On this
ground Mr. J. Blundell Maple, M.P., of the well-known furnishing
house in the Tottenham Court Road, has stated to the St. Pancras
Committee that he would use the electric light for the purposes of his
business should it cost twice the amount that gas does. The average
illness of factory operatives is found to be largely reduced where
electric light is introduced.
(2.) Owing to the great ease with which the current can be turned on or off
by the mere movement of a switch, the lights can be extinguished when,
ever a room is left instead of being left to burn as is often done in
the case of gas, to avoid the trouble and delay in re-lighting. In the
case of public lamps the expense of lighting the lamps is saved.
(3.) In a large installation the actual cost of production per unit need not
exceed 3d., so that, given a fair consumption, the electric light is certainly
cheaper than gas.
The most important point which rises on the question whether a local authority
should supply electricity is the price which must be charged for energy to leave a
fair working profit, and its comparison with the present price of gas. The best
evidence on this point is the experience of the Vestry of St. Pancras who are
supplying electrity at Gd. per Board of Trade unit at night, and at 3d. per unit
during the day time, when it 1s chiefly used for motive power. The Vestry calculate