Vol. CXXXy. No, 3509; Friday, August 31, 1945. Sixpence r [ (Registered at the Gtn&'oi Postpfffcs, Entered « Second Qtass azzheN e® York XT.S*A. Past OJF&J 1

RURAL DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS

J^ISTRIBUTION transformers of the type illustrated are quite trouble-free and have been operating for many years . . .*. giving complete satisfaction by their efficiency and durability. Pioneers in the development of the power transformer, Ferranti have never deviated from the rigorous standards of manufacture originally laid down to ensure the primary essential of Reliability. These units are also available with efficient surge protection.(Surge Absorbers) built in as a component part to avoid the stresses set up by electrical storms.

FERRANTI LTD., H0LLINW00D, LANCS. FX42B LONDON OFFICE: KERN HOUSE, KING8WAY, W.C.2 THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945

S 516. 5 amp one way 8. One way single single pole switch with pole switch for operation with detachable key. attached side handle.

S 5 2 1 Detachable o p eratin g key for S 5 1 8 an d S 605 switches

S 605. 5 amp one way single S 615. 5 amp switch with pole switch operated from thumb and finger grip’ front with detachable key. rotating handle.

Examples from a wide range of weatherproof cast iron

cased switches foruse in exposed positions and in industrial

buildings where adverse conditions of service are prevalent.

These switches are all of the well known “Landor” quick

make and break type. G.E.C. products of outstanding reliability.

Advl. of The General Electric Co. Ltd. Mead Office : Magnet House, London, W .C .2 August 31 j 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN

THE SMALLEST TRIPLE POLE SWITCHFUSE. EMINENTLY SUITABLE FOR MACHINE TOOLS. (§ j) RflDETTE. IOAMPERES, 500 VOLTS. CATALOGUE NO. Q 1438.

BILL SWITCHGEAR LTD

LONDON: A.W.ZEllEY ASTON LANE, PERRY BARR MANCHESTER GLASGOW BELFAST 7 3 C T PETER ST. WESTMINSTER S.W.L BIRMINGHAM • 20 BURTON-ON-TRENT

PHONE BlRCHFiaDS 50!i. CRAMS:'BH-SWITCH' BHAM. THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945

A neat and inexpensive TERMINAL BOX

Apart from a wood bush at the lower end for the entrance of the cable this box is composed entirely of moulded insulated material with five “ knock-outs ” pro­ vided in a spigoted cap for taking out the cable cores. Available in two sizes and suitable for a range of single to five core cables. Write for particulars.

BRITISH INSULATED CALLENDER'S CABLES LTD. PRESCOT, LANCS. P R E S C O T 6571 ARC DURATION (HALF CYCLES) qie or uler t l fom : m fro ils eta d r lle fu r fo nquire E A N H S R, 11 R, E T S E H C N A M y -e /66 A O l-he by uut 1 1945 31, August EGSN ALN LIMITED PAILIN FERGUSON. Pre-eminent Pre-eminent xasie et hv poe i t e Brae o usadn merit e m outstanding of reaker B a be to it proved have tests Exhaustive B Air-blast Air-blast soe R LDN 318 ie) Tsmpl Bar 2 / l l 7 8 r a B l! p m s T : N O D N O L / ! * T X lines) 1301(8 YLSDEN DRO ¡sAooe m a h g n i m r i ls ! class in the the in . utn odTi 24 "— — " 2744 CoidfTeia Sutton H ELECTRICIAN THE RCUI AKER E K EA R B IT U C IR C BLAST’ ENGLAND G w o g s a l : central central o s o s service v THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945 non buijinq lamps the best m arket?

. >>■

Whatever your annual ex­ penditure for electric lamps mav be, you will show an immediate saving by buying Atlas Lamps. Subjected to the most exhaustive tests at every stage of manufacture they are guaran­ teed to conform to the highest possible standard of efficiency. Instal Atlas Lamps and you will see the difference in quality and the extra discounts you receive will lighten your annual bill. Write for terms to-day. ATLAS LAMPS Nothing better has come to light dORN ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES LTD., 105-109, JUDD ST., LO NDO N, W.C.1. 'Phone: Euston 1183 orthern Branch: 55 Blossom Street, Manchester. 'Phone: Central 7461 E. Depot: 46 Sandhill, Newcaslle-on-Tyne, 1. 'Phone: Newcastle 24068 August 31, 1945 r THE ELECTRICIAN vii everything the Jointer

4

The standard package of jointing materials fo r a HENLEY straight through joint contains everything the jointer wants except the box compounds.

The paper separator, paper binder, rolls of paper- cotton tape and cotton tape are all impregnated ready for use and packed in a hermetically sealed tin.

The lead sleeve is complete w ith tw o caps for the filling holes. “ G rip ” type jointing sleeves, solder and plum ber’s metal are also included.

The finished joint is protected by a cast-iron box as shown below. '* Cablegrip ” type glands and arm our clamps ensure efficient bonding o f the lead sheath and armouring.

Suitable for working pressures from 3,300 t o '22,000 voJts (inclusive).

Ask for Catalogue UD.2

STRAIGHT ROUGH

t r a d e S ä r S MARK ll |Q | u m^u “j* *

BOXES

W. T. HENLEY'S TELEGRAPH WORKS CO. LTD. • MILTON COURT • WESTCOTT • DORKING • SURREY THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945

Don’t scrap those

" Kantark H.R.C. w ith

This is the standard M.E.M. 5 0 0 v o lt Fuse Base. This is th e M.E.M. "Kantark” H.R.C. Cartridge Carrier which en- Conversion is easy with ablesH.R.C. Fusesto be used w ith existing M.E.M. Bases.

“KANTARK” H.R.C. FUSES

If you plan to change to high rupturing | tests which prove them to comply fully with capacity fuses there is no need to scrap voi r i B.S.S. 88/1939. The non-deteriorating solid present pattern M.E.M. Switchfuses and | silver fuse link, embedded in powdered Fuseboards. M.E.M. “ Kantark ” H.R.C. I silica, fuses with extreme rapidity before the Fuses can be used in existing gear by the use fault current rises to dangerous proportions. of M.E.M. Cartridge Carriers. “ Kantark ” Indication of fusing is clearly given by the H.R.C. Fuses have been designed for complete ejection of a bead. interchangeability. Types are also available for many other makes of H.R.C. fuse carriers. i WRITE FOR LIST No. 270 M.E.M. “ Kantark ” H.R.C. Fuses have It gives full particulars of types and undergone the most stringent independent ratings available.

MIDLAND ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING CO. LTD., TYSELEY, BIRMINGHAM, 11 London Showrooms and Stores : 21-22 Rathbone Place, London, W.l Manchester Showrooms and Stores : 48-50 Chapel Street, Salford, 3 August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN TO-MORROW’S NEWSPAPER

ł

Broadcasting and Television comes the Radio Newspaper — another outstanding electronic achievement with tremendous possibilities for the future. In this exciting new world, now being unfolded before our eyes, scientists are evolving all kinds of new electronic devices. But each is based funda­ mentally upon our old friend the wireless valve in one ol its many variations. The science of Electronics is already used to revolutionise scores of industrial processes — to speed output — to achieve incredibly standards of precision — to eliminate the human element — to produce better products at lower prices. But few electronic devices can work without capacitors — that is why we at Hunts are so vitally interested in all these new applications. Month by month we are developing new types of capacitors specially designed to meet the requirements of electronic engineers. If you have a problem we invite you to submit it to us.

A. H. HUNT LTD • LONDON • S.W.ig • ESTABLISHED 1901 X THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945

There is a “ KEITH-BLACKMAN” FAN for every purpose for which a fan is essential.

HEATING VENTILATION DUST REMOVAL FORGE BLOWING MECHANICAL DRAUGHT FUMES REMOVAL STEAM REMOVAL CUPOLA BLOWING SMOKE REMOVAL FURNACE BLOWING DRYING, COOLING, etc.

VKEITHx /BLACKMAN 0000010102020102020202000200010981010002020001000200020002010202010200010083011000010101 MILL MEAD ROAD. \\LONDON, N.I7./ / •PMONI: TOTTfNMAM 453J- *CRAMS K ItT H B lA C RMONÏ.i.O^OON.'* August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN xi

Photograph by courtesy of The Electro-Chemical Engineering Co., Ltd. 10,500 AMPERES AUTOMATIC PLANT FOR BRASS PLATING STEEL COMPONENTS

Oil immersion, giving complete protection Standard units are built in various sizes, ranging against acid fumes and moisture, is now a from 6-'v.lts 100 a Tips, up to 7-volts 4,000 am ps, standard feature cf “ W estalite’’ Rectifier o r 16-vjlts 2,000 anps., with control equip­ Equipments for electro-plati ig, such as are ment to suit the needs of the work to be done. used in the above large modern installati on. Automatic co troI apparatus and emergency No fan, pump or other cooling plant is needed. power supply equipment are also available. W IST ING HOUSE METAL RECTIFIERS Full details are given in Data Sheet No. 29, obtainable from WESTING HOUSE BRAKE & SIGNAL CO. LTD., PEW tilLL HOUSE • CHIPPENHAM • WILTS THE ELECTRICIAN August 31 1945

FULL PARTICULARS ON k. APPLICATION A August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN

6 6 kV. TRANSMISSION SCHEME

Transforming Station

“ T R A N S M IS S IO N of power is our spec and our Organisation is adequately equ for the supply and installation of all underground and overhead systems.

ground Cable link to Overhead Line

Hydro-electric Generating Station N o project too vast- No country too difficult

Q r a n d a r d POWER CABLES Advertisement o f Standard Telephones & Cables Limited, North Woolwich, £.16 THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945

- . 3 DRAWING

ATTENTION ‘FUZIT’ JOINTERS (Patents (tending)

M o de l N o, 20

The N E W Technique for Jointing Wires

O solder or flux is required, and dry joints Nare eliminated. Model 30 is suitable for jointing wires between 50 s.w.g. and 30 s.w .g ., including nichrome. Model 20 and other types are available for jointing heavier wires. Full particulars sent upon request.

M o d e l N o . 30

COPPER & BRASS WIRE & STRIP R.H.SYMOIDSL5 Si VICTORIA STREET. t * o MtK t o« s : i » a n o a « o m iM O N ii mo em us umitid NORTHWOOD HILLS NORTHWOOD, MIDDLESEX WESTMINSTER. S.W.I Telephone: PINNER 4S3S August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN xv

PLASTICS

Paxolin is the re- W gistered trade name for our laminated products of t the phenolic class which arc made in a wide variety of grades in Sheets, Rods, Tubes and Cylinders. Complete details, including technical data ; information regarding the grade most suitable for any particular purpose and instruc- . tions for machining are a obtainable from the j m Èatav manufacturers.

THE M1CANITE & INSULATORS COMPANY LTD., Empire W orks, Blackhorse Lane, Walthamstow, London, E. f 7 Makers ofMICANITE (Built-up Mica Insulation). Fabricated and Processed MICA, PA XOLIN (Synthetic-resin laminated sheets, rods, tubes and cylinders). High-voltage Bushings and Terminals for indoor and outdoor use. Empire Varnished Insulating Cloths and Tapes and all other forms o f Electrical Insu­ lation. Suppliers o f Vulcanised Fibre, Leathero'ui, Presspahn, etc. Distributors o f Micoflex-Duratube Sleevings, Micoflex-Durasleeve (plastic covered flexible metal conduit) and Kenutuf Injection Mouldings (P.V.C.). THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945

•i' ^ HEAT-POWER

W IRES TAPES * RODS for High Temperature Work in LAMPS, VALVES & ELECTRIC FURNACES - f g g VACTITE WIRE CO., LTD. ® 19 QUEEN ANNE'S GATE, WESTMINSTER, S.W.1 Telephone: Whitehall 2552

TO ENSURE

GEO. W ADE & SON. LTD.. MANCHESTER POTTERY. BURSLEM. STOKE-ON-TRENT August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN ‘ xvii

WOOD

F o r it’s a W ig g in s T e a p e P a p e r that you want, to give new character and up-to date sales points to vour post-war products. The use of paper is mounting in many industries, a n d W ig g in s T e a p e can supply almost any kind to prc-determined characteristics for incorporation in new-type products, or for aiding industrial pro­ cesses. Paper is versatile : it can be coated, impregnated, or laminated with non-fibrous materials : it is a low-cost item : it is uniform : it can be made with varying characteristics —- extra porosity, tensile strength, high wet-strength, or neutral to acids and alk alis. O ur research chemists working with those of other industries are cheapening costs, and in addition, evolving new techniques and new products. Let INDUSTRIAL yours link up with them too !

WIGGINS TEAPE & ALEX P1R1E (SALES) LTD-ALDCATE HOUSE • MA.NSELL .S T • LON DON • El xvm THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945

A Routine Test of

BAKELITE LAMINATED

IT IS THE NORMAL PRACTICE FOR gram the various hole shapes, positions Bakelite Limited to test thoroughly its and clearances, which represent every products before supplying them as the reasonable condition that is likely to be raw materials of industry. encountered. This test has been in Above is a piece of Bakelite Laminated constant use since long before the war which has been subjected to the routine and provides valuable information on punching test. all punching materials. This test is made with a punching tool Samples and data of special punching scientifically evolved and standardized grades for a variety of purposes will be for the purpose. Examine in the dia­ furnished upon request.

TREFOIL BAKELITE PLASTICS REGD. TRADE MARKS Pioneers in the Plastics World

BAKELITE LIMITED V- 1 8 GRÖSVENO.R GARDENS '- LONDON S.W .1 August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN

MISCELLANEOUS ADVERTISEMENTS TENDERS

SITUATIONS VACANT CITY AND COUNTY BOROUGH OF BELFAST.

None of the situations advertised in these columns Electricity Department. relates to a man between the ages of 18 and 50 inclusive, or a woman between the ages of 18 or 40 inclusive, unless SALE OF PLANT AND SCRAP METALS. he or she is exceptedfrom the provisions of the Control of Eng agentent Order, 1945, or the vacancy is fo r employ­ rPHE Electricity Committee of the Belfast ment excepted from the provisions of that Order. Corporation invite tenders from duly authorised persons for the purchase of: (a) 8 D e ra te d 6.6 kV Reyrolle Oil Circuit TY/TANAGER required, with general experi­ B re a k e rs . ence in the manufacture of lead storage (b) Boiler Tubes and Headers tType No. 23A) batteries. State experience and salary re­ for Babcock and .Wilcox boilers. q u ire d .—W rite Box L.P.O ., "T H E ELEC­ (c) 5 20,000 lb s ./h r . W a te r tu b e B o ile rs, B a b ­ TRICIAN," 154, Fleet Street, London, E.C.4. cock and Wilcox, pressure 200 lbs. per sq. in. gauge, with economiseTs, super­ heaters, chain, grate stokers, pipework EDUCATIONAL and auxiliaries. (d) Scrap Metals. HERIOT-WATT COLLEGE, EDINBURGH. Further, particulars and Forms of Tender (Affiliated to the University of Edinburgh.) may be obtained, and the m aterials inspected, Full-Time Three Years’ Diploma Courses in on application being made to the City Elec­ Mechanical Engineering and Electrical trical Engineer and General Manager, East Engineering. Bridge Street, Belfast. Mechanical Engineering.—Professor A. R. Horne, O.B.E., B.Sc., MU.Mech.E., A.M.I.C.E. Each Tender in sealed envelope marked Electrical Engineering.—Professor M. G. Say, " Tender for Electricity De­ Ph.D., M.Sc., M.I.E.E. partment,’’ and endorsed with the name and Entrance Examination for those not other­ address of the person tendering, must be wise qualified for admission 18th and 19th lodged with the undersigned not later than September. Three Scholarships (value £55 per 4.0 p.m. on Friday. 21st September, 1945. annum) are offered on the results of this An official receipt m ust be obtained for each Examination. tender delivered by hand. Tenders sent by Session begins—Monday, 8th October. post should be registered. In view of National Service and Ministry of JOHN DUNLOP, Labour requirements, intending students City Hall, Belfast, Town Clerk. should make application for enrolment at an early date. J. CAMERON SMAIL, F O R S A L E P r in c ip a l. EARCHLIGHTS (sale or hire). Carbon Rods, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, KING'S SEbonite, Fibre ilightensite, Porcelain COLLEGE. House-wiring and other Cleats, Reels and FACULTY OF ENGINEERING. Knobs, Mirrors, Lenses, Lamp Lowering and CIVIL, MECHANICAL, AND ELECTRICAL Suspension Gear, T.R.S., lead and other ENGINEERING. Cables, Winches (hand), hundreds of thousands AjOltMALLY complete Course of Study, ex- in use, etc.—London Electrio Firm, Croydon. ' tending over three years, are arranged for the Engineering Degrees of the University of T FATHER FINGER STALLS.—Made of London and/or for the Diplomas and Certifi­ ■’-'Chrome Hide. Very strong and hard cates of the Colthge, but only students for wearing. Length 3 in. Price 4s. per doz. the Post-Intermediate part of the Course can Prompt delivery. Sample on application.— he accepted. At present there are no more Willson Brothers, Industrial Clothing Manu­ v a c a n c ie s fo r 1945-46. facturers, Epsom, Surrey. DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERING. Professor of Civil Engineering: C. H. WORK WANTED AND OFFERED Lobban, D.Sc., M.Inst.C.E., F.R.S.E. Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Dean of the Faculty: S. J. Davies, Disc., E will gladly undertake the making of Ph.D., Wh.Ex., M.I.Mech.E. W component parts, etc., on our Lathes, Millers, Drills, etc.—London Electric Firm, DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL Croydon. 'Phone: UPLands 4871. ENGINEERING. The Siemens Chair of Electrical Engineering (v a c a n t). Post-graduate courses and facilities for PATENT AGENTS research are provided in each of the above departments, which are fully equipped with RUNGS PATENT AGENCY. LTD., B. T. King, modern plant and apparatus. “ •A.I.Mech.E. (Patent Agent), 146a , Q ueen For full information and prospectus apply Victoria Street, London, E.C.4. ADVICE, to the SECRETARY, King’s College, Strand, Handbook, and Consultations free. ’Phone: W.C.2. C ity 6161.

N sptr Taylor Tunnicliff Insulators /.■V

Taylor Tvnnicliff & Co., Ltd., Eastwood,Hanley, Staffordshire. London Office: 125, llioh Ifolbom, London. Vf.C l. Tel.: Ilolborn 195X2. XX THE ELECTRICIAN August.31, 1945 THE ELECTRIC Established. 1861, The Oldest Weekly Illustrated Journal of Electrical Engineering, Industry, Science and Finance Bouvtrte House. 154, Fleet Street, London, E.C.4. Telegrams ; “ Benbrotric, Fleet, London. Telephone : Central 3 2 12 {Ten Lines). Midlands Office,- Daimler Houte, Paradise Street, Birmingham. Telephone; Midland 0784. Glasgow Office; Zl6, Hope Street, Glasgow, C.2. Telephones Central 3970. T he Offices o f T h e E l e c t r ic ia n are dosed on Saturdays in accordance with the "Five-day Week" plan aaoptia by Benn Brothers, L td , and its associated publishing orgamsations. Until further notice the offices mill be o p t» between the hours o f 9 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. from Monday to Frida ■. r No. 9 August 31, 1945 Annual Subscription 25s. No. 3509. LVol. cxxxv.■] Overseas 30s.

CHIEF CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE those industrialists whose business it was Controls ...... 205 before the war to lead the country in Vieius on Current Affairs ...... 206 this trade should now be consulted on Now It Cun Be Told—VI ...... 208 ways and means of re-establishing that Plastic Materials ...... 209 Hydro electric Schemes ...... 211 lead. Tlio position as we see it is tliat The “ Queen Elizabeth ” ...... 214 the Government has assumed the right Electrical Accidents ...... 216 to dictate to industry, but in our view Electronic Measuring Instruisent s... 219 the official mind—hampered as it is by Trade Relations with China ... 221 civil service procedure—is in no way Electrical Personalities ...... 222 qualified to hold out against the scorch­ News in Brief ...... 224 ing flame of competition kindled, let us Electricity Supply ...... 225 Contracts Open ...... 22G say, in that land of private enterprise, Industrial Information ...... 227 the United States, to name only one Company News ...... 228 competitor. In other spheres of operation controls are, too, proving unequal to the tasks Controls ahead, for, inter alia, there is consider­ able dissatisfaction among a number of ' I ''HE rapidity with which American the engineering profession with the way A industry is being freed from the in which the Central Register is operated. fetters of Government legislation is in Most of the criticism of this body comes striking contrast to experience in this from the graduates of our universities country. It is, too, giving concern to who, armed with a degree in science and those of our manufacturers who are the offer of employment by leading ready and anxious to resume their manufacturers, find themselves waiting attacks on the export markets. in idleness until the Ministry of Labour Last week, Mr. D a l t o n , in his first sanctions their absorption by industry. parliamentary speech as Chancellor of The period of waiting between accept­ the Exchequer, proclaimed the urgency ance of employment and official sanction for a rapid expansion of our overseas to take up that employment appears to trade, and though he gave a pledge to be longer than it is reasonable to expect, remove as far as possible any restricting and many of our young men, eager to formalities, there was nothing in his enter the ranks of industry, are growing speech which suggested real appreciation impatient in conseqhence. of the strangling effect which the present With the war in the Far East at an governmental controls are having upon end, it might be argued that there ought our trade. It may be that the speed of to bo some relief from the inconveniences America’s abandonment cannot be attaching to at least some of the govern­ attempted here, but the pace set so far mental directions, but apart from a few appears to be unduly limited, and repre­ minor relaxations, industry and its per­ sents too great a handicap if British in­ sonnel are still the playthings of official­ dustry is to enter into competition with dom. The latest example of this is to the rest of the world. be found in the text of the proposed Tlie winning of export trade is largely Supplies and Services (Transitional a m atter of initiative and enterprise, and Powers) Bill, which provides for certain 206 THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945 legislation and controls to remain, if Last week Mr. C h u r c h i l l renewed his need be, in force for fivo years, and a quest for information by asking the further year thereafter if thought Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the necessary. proposed planning would extend to the Reluctant Bureaucracy control of the spending by limited com­ panies of their own cash resources, and OME of those controls may, it is ad­ to the control of their power to borrow. mitted, be advisable for a time, but S Mr. D a l t o n ’s reply was not, however, there is in industry a feeling that bureau­ particularly instructive in that the Chan­ cracy is reluctant to relinquish the cellor contented himself with a statement authority it has enjoyed for so long, and to the effect that investment planning the nuinber of controls enumerated in had two aspects, the physical and the the latest Supplies and Services Bill is financial. On the physical side, the unnecessarily large in consequence. Government’s policy is “ to secure that the Officialdom will not easily part with its available labour and materials are used present privileges, but it should realise in accordance with whatever plans may that in the interests of the nation it must from time to time be required for the renounce its war-time habits. The diffi­ purposes of employment policy and culties facing the new Government are national development. On the financial fully appreciated, but the continuance of side the control of demands on the capi­ so many controls instead of the promo­ tal market will be exercised according tion of new enterprises, as a solution to to the same principles. But there is no the problems, is, we suggest, likely to intention of compelling anyone to invest lead to disaster. his resources in one way rather than Electrical Accidents another. In particular, the proposed LTHOUGH the use of electrical legislation will not provide for the exer­ equipment in industrial premises lias cise of financial control over the use by increased tremendously during the war. business'undertakings of their own cash years, fatal accidents last year were fewer or other existing resources.” From this than in any year since 1940. This en­ reply it appears that the Government has couraging fact is given in the report, it in mind to direct labour and materials “ Electrical Accidents and their Causes,” as may be considered necessary to ensure for 1944, published by the Factory De­ full employment. Financial powers cor­ partment (Electrical Branch), extracts responding to these physical controls are from which are given on another page. already included in the Distribution of For some reason the total of 157, under Industries Bill, but the points raised by the heading “ Fatal Electrical Accidents,” Mr. C h u r c h i l l with respect to borrowing includes three suicides, so that actually and now being discussed by industry the record for the year is better than the still need elucidating. official figures indicate. Accidents re­ Mr. Shinwell and the Miners portable under the Factories Act were also fewer, numbering 1 072, of which 31 N our issue of July 20, we drew atten­ were fatal, compared with 1 255, with 58 Ition to the fact that though some of the larger collieries in the Durham area fatal, in 1943. There were also notified had been mechanised, the results of these 45 accidents, 13 fatal, which were found developments were disappointing in that to be non-reportable, and, in addition, the miners were not willing to co-operate. 113 electrical fatalities occurred in places At about that time the blame for the other than factory premises. Of the re­ low output of coal, not only at Durham portable accidents the largest number but throughout the country generally, — 1S5 (six fa ta l)—-was associated w ith was laid at the feet of the coal owners, switchgear.; There were 174, with five and the electrical industry, concerned at fatalities, in relation to cables and flex- the small volume of its stocks, has since ibles, and of 78 accidents with portable waited with interest to see what the electric apparatus six were fatal. new Government intended doing in the Planning of Investment matter. The Ministry of Fuel and Power TTEMPTS to understand what lies is now directed by a new helmsman in A behind “ the effective planning of Mr. S h i n w e l l , and his first public act investment ” mentioned in the King’s was to visit Durham and beg the miners Speech, have so far m et with little success. to produce more coal, at a rate of nearly August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN 207

10 per cent, on the present output—ad­ side. The Commission, as explained else­ mitting, we submit, the fact that the where in this issue, intends visiting miner§ are capable of raising production various works up and down the country if they have a mind to. No one wishes and is making special examination of the 'the new Minister better luck with his grid system with a view to promoting.a campaign for replenishing our coal somewhat similar network in China. The stocks, than the electrical industry, for prospects of British manufacturers play­ on his success depends to a large extent ing their part in the reconstruction pro­ whether or not we shall have to shed gramme proposed by the Chinese Govern­ load in the coming winter months. It ment, are in the opinion of Mr. Y u n , en­ seems odd, however, after all that has couraging. This we can well understand been said, that the Minister of Fuel for the work of the British engineer should suggest that the responsibility could, before the Japanese invasion at for the coal crisis is less exclusive than least, be seen far and wide in Canton, we, the consumers, have been invited to Foochow, Amoy, Shanghai and cities believe. inland less well known. This work of Street Lighting Muddle British engineering has been brought ' 11 HE appeal by the Minister of Fuel about by the number of Chinese students A to local authorities to reduce their and graduates who enter our- electrical street lighting as much as possible, is a engineering works as college apprentices, further indication • of the unfortunate to return to their native China at a later manner with which the whole fuel prob­ date. They have in the past taken back lem is being handled. In short, it means with them full knowledge of our technical that some 44 millions of the public are progress and in translating if into mate­ to be inconvenienced because the Govern­ rial things, orders for equipment have ment have failed to release from the been passed to their former employers. Forces sufficient miners to produce the Those conditions will soon be.resumed. coal, or to see that those now working Tummel-Garry Objections Rejected. the mines are winning a reasonable out­ HP HE amenity and fisheries objections put. In making his proposal Mr. S h i n - I to the Tummel-Garry project having w e l l has made a mistake, for instead of been rejected by the three Commissioners penalising the public, every effort should who conducted the public inquiry at be made to encourage and inspire the coal Edinburgh four months ago, the North of industry to further endeavour. The Scotland Hydro-Electric Board’s second miners have been promised nationalisa­ constructional scheme covering the Tum­ tion of their trade and it might therefore mel-Garry and Gairloch projects, esti­ have been assumed that they would be mated to cost £6 450 000, can now be willing to retrieve the falling coal output ; proceeded with, if the confirming Order as it is, however, the position is worsening. now before Parliament is not annulled. Three months ago local authorities were It is expected that the major portion will encouraged to overhaul their street light­ be completed by 1948. On the ground ing installations and this they did in that a case of sufficient urgency was most cases at considerable expense and made out to overcome objections, the Com­ strain upon their labour resources. To­ missioners declare unanimously that it day, with war wiped from the face of is in the public interest for the scheme to the world, those same authorities are proceed. They feel that the submergence asked to make good the omissions of the of Climie Bridge, albeit beautiful, and the mining industry, when in point of fact, conversion of a few reaches of Highland the changed conditions should by now rivers into the waters of a winding lake have given indication of improvement. is but a small price to pay for bringing, in some measure, the amenities of life Chinese National Resources Commission where few existed before, and to inject HE Chinese Commission which came new energy into the straths and glens of T to this country in the “ Queen Mary,” the Highlands. In recommending that includes among its delegates two elec­ the North of Scotland Board pay half the trical personalities of interest. Mr. Y o n , expenses of the inquiry, the Tribunal sug­ who leads the delegation, is concerned gest that the Board showed unnecessary chiefly with ' manufacturing, while Mr. reluctance to disclose information to par­ Lru is mainly interested in the power ties legitimately interested. 208 THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945 Now It Can Be Told—VI Some War-Time Activities of the Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co.

BRIEF outline of the war-time activi­ trepanned. Steam was then injected into A ties of the Metropolitan-Vickers Elec­ the bomb under pressure, disolving tho trical Co., Ltd., was given by Sir George T.N.T. Two sizes of auto-drills were made, Bailey at a Press conference at tho the larger being used for bombs with eases Trafford Park works recently, and since of material up to 3 in. thick. then some details of the company’s contri­ The metadyne equipment which revo­ butions to the development of radar and lutionised gun-fire control in the Navy, the atomic bomb have been made known. and is also used for other purposes, both Special work by the company started in in the Navy and the Army, was disigned 1936, with the manufacture of sound loca­ by th e com pany in 1940. tors for the Army for the audible detection ' In May of that year the King and Queen of aircraft movements, giving location, ele­ visited the works at Traflord Park. vation and direction of travel of suspected Factory Bombed aircraft; searchlights for the Army; and signalling lights and fighting searchlights The company completed its first Man­ for the Navy. Much of the design for chester bomber in November, 1940. This Navy searchlights was by M-V. engineers in machine was destroyed, and twelve others, collaboration with the Admiralty. For this partly completed, were wrecked when the work £70 000 worth of new machine tools factory' was hit during an air raid in the were used. following month. At the same, time part In the same year, the company developed of the main works was destroyed by firo. the automatic pilot device, familiarly Various dispersal works and offices were known as “ George,” enabling a pilot to taken over, and later in 1941, extensive ad­ relax during a long flight on a straight ditional factory accommodation was built course, and by the end of 1940, they had in the area of the main works. produced over I 000 equipments. Origin­ Working with material supplied by I.C.I., ally M-V. were alone in this field. the company' developed a method of mould­ The company’s contribution t-o radarwas ing polythene which solved certain insula­ m entioned in our last issue. In July, 1939, tion problems related to radar and also they were asked to produce 80 per cent, effected a considerable saving of money. of all R.D.F. transmitters and in March, Just before the, war the Air Ministry 1941, orders were placed with the company had requested the company to bund a 1 y the Admiralty for transmitters and re­ few 500 W, 1 200/2 400 cycles, 80 V alter­ ceivers. Particular types of apparatus nators, to be driven by the main engines were produced for “ jamming ” purposes. of aeroplanes, to supply' the necessary elec­ For ship work special scanners were made. trical energy for airborne R.D.F. equip­ ment. The machines were designed in Photo-electric Control of Missiles co-operation with the Royal Aircraft Estab­ Sir Arthur P. M. Fleming, director of lishment, and the work was undertaken research for the company, lias been in the at the company’s Sheffield works. The closest touch with all the Government de­ number produced reached a very high partments continuously, and as each war figure. problem involving technical considerations The y'ear 1942, saw the beginning of the arose, the company’s research engineers placing of a number of orders with the were brought into consultation, often on company by the Ministry of Supply for matters which did not call for any manu­ power station equipment for the U.S.S.R. facturing work. In the early days of This comprised 21 turbo-alternator sets for R.D.F. the original chain station equip­ outputs ranging from 1 350 kW to 25 000 ments were built in the research depart­ kW. More than 50 mobile generating m ent. stations, including 1 000 kW, 2 000 kW, In relation to problems connected with and 5 000 kW sets, were also ordered. the photo-electric control of missiles and During the whole period of the war the others controlled accoustically, the com­ company produced the generating and pany’s research engineers have given con­ motoring equipments for submarines of siderable assistance to the research organi­ many' classes. A special secret shop was sations of the three Services. established and equipped for the manu­ Auto-drills, designed almost entirely by facture of ground equipment for rocket the research department, enabled unex­ projectiles. Other special shops were de­ ploded bombs to be dealt with effectively. voted to development work on jet propul­ A hole was drilled through the case of the sion in conjunction with the Royal Aircraft bomb, and simultaneously another was Establishment, Power Jets and others. August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN 209 Plastic Materials By JAMES TAYLOR,' B.Sc., F.R.I.C. REA-FORMALDEHYDE materials, as manufacture of laminated sheet. Light U their name implies, are manufactured colours, including white, can be produced, by the condensation, under carefully con­ and the material finds outlet mostly in trolled conditions of urea and formalde­ decorative work, panelling, table tops, hyde. Urea, in turn, is produced syn­ counter and bar tops and sides, etc., but thetically from carbon dioxide and sometimes it is used for electrical purposes. ammonia. When condensed together, urea and formaldehyde form a syrupy liquid Adhesive Applications which consists mainly of a solution of the Very large quantities of urea-formalde­ synthetic resin in the water of the formalde­ hyde resins are used for adhesive purposes. hyde. This syrup may be used, with a The method adopted in this application is filler, to make a moulding powder, or its that of the resin syrup being used in con­ properties may be adjusted to make it suit­ junction with a hardener which is usually able for use as an adhesive or cement. a weak acid, and whose function is to The common fillers used in the manufac­ accelerate the polymerisation and harden­ ture of urea moulding powders are cellulose ing of the adhesive. In the case of some (in the form of cotton linters or bleached urea glues, the hardener solution is first of sulphite pulp) or wood flour. As urea all applied to the wooden surfaces to be resins are clear transparent or sometimes glued. After drying, the surfaces are milky, a very large range of colours, both coated with the adhesive syrup and light and dark, may be obtained by the clamped in position. In other cases the use of suitable pigments or dyestuffs. The hardener and the syrup are delivered moulding technique is practically the same separately by the manufacturer and are as that of the phenol-formaldehyde mould­ mixed just prior to use, being then applied ing materials except that the temperature to the surfaces to be glued. Sometimes the used is usually lower, about 130° C. instead glues are designed for setting without the of 150° C,, and the pressure required is application of heat, whilst in other cases about 20 per cent, more, i.e., rather over heat is applied. Again, in some cases it is 1 ton per sq. in. possible to “ dilute ” the glue by adding to it a certain amount of p'e flour. Properties of Mouldings Considerable variation in the ' speed of Average properties of mouldings made hardening may be effected by using dif­ from urea-formaldehyde materials are :— ferent hardeners and different amounts of Cellulose filled. Wood flour filled. these hardeners. Variation in time taken Impact Strength (BSS771) -.25 .22 to harden can also be varied by application Tensile Strength 6 0001b. per sq. in. 8 000 lb. per sq. in. of heat. For example, it is probable that Volume Resistivity 10la 10la Dielectric Strength without the use of heat joints will be made at 20°C 200/250 V per mil. 200/250 V per mil. which will set overnight, but by heating to a t 90°C 60/80 „ „ „ 70/90 „ „ „ about 90° C. the glue will set absolutely Compared with phenol-formaldehyde hard in a matter of five minutes or so. mouldings, the water absorption of urea- Admittedly urea glues require careful hand­ formaldehyde mouldings is slightly higher, ling, but by control of the conditions of but is still quite good. For instance, table application it is possible to produce speeds ware moulded in urea-formaldehyde will of drying, etc., suitable to the particular withstand reasonable washing in almost job. boiling water, but tends to soften and It is also possible to prepare a urea- swell under prolonged immersion. On formaldehyde glue which is in solid form the other hand, urea-formaldehyde mould­ by modifying the urea-formaldehyde con­ ings are much better as regards resistance densation product with zinc chloride. It is to tracking between electrically live supplied as a white power which is dis­ metallic inserts. Amongst the commoner solved in about half its weight of water and electrical applications of urea-formaldehyde is then hot pressed. mouldings may be mentioned switches, Urea-formaldehyde adhesives are now switch bases, adaptors, sockets, plugs, used extensively in the manufacture of meter cases, parts of magnetos and coils, plywood, and, of course, plywood has electric light fittings and shades, ceiling several applications in the electrical roses and parts of radio sets, including industry. radio cabinets. Melamine as a constituent of plastic Urea-formaldehyde resins, like the materials has come into considerable phenol-formaldehyde resins, are used in the prominence since the beginning of the war. 2 1 0 THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945

Its use in plastics only commenced about When used for making laminated sheet, 1939, but the amount now used is quite melamine resins produce a material which considerable, and would ' definitely be possesses good arc resistance, good resist­ greater wore it in more abundant supply. ance to heat, a very hard surface and Melamine is obtained from calcium general inertness to water, dilute acids and cyanamide, passing through dicyandiamide alkalis and organic solvents. as an intermediate product, and is there­ In America a laminated board has been fore a derivative of tlie calcium carbide produced from glass fibre cloth and mela­ industry. Like urea, it is an amino com­ mine resins, and has been used by the U.S. pound, and it will condense with formalde­ Navy. This board possesses excellent im­ hyde to produce synthetic resins. These pact strength and is extremely resistant to resins possess very interesting properties both arc and heat. It also withstands and are in many respects similar to urea considerable rough usage and, in addition, resins, except that their properties are gun blast. superior. Compared with urea resins, they Similarly, melamine resins have been offer better resistance to heat, they are adapted to adhesive manufacture. They non-tracking, they are almost free from possess exceptional water-resisting qualities. colour, they possess greater resistance to Also they have been used for the manufac­ water, dilute acids and dilute alkalis. ture of Varnishes to induce resistance to water, abrasion; and also to reduce track­ Dielectric Strength of Melamine ing. They are similar to urea resins in this They can be used for the manufacture of respect. When used in varnishes they may moulding powders, for laminated material, either be employed alone or in combination as varnishes, and, last but not least, as with urea or alkyd resins. adhesives. In America, it is understood, develop­ When made up into moulding powders, ments may be expected in the direction of a material is obtained which can be melamine resins suitable for easting, and moulded under more or less the same con­ also melamine resins in the forms of ditions as the urea-formaldehyde materials. aqueous emulsions. The filler used is most commonly Cellulose, A War-time Development as in the case of urea, but materials of greater impact strength can bo obtained by The melamine resins ore a class whose using chopped fabric as the filler. Mela- industrial application has been developed mine resins possess excellent arc-resisting almost entirely under war-time conditions, properties, and by using asbestos as the and they afford an excellent example of filler it is possible ' to produce a material the use of new materials in connection with which has really interesting arc-resisting one of the oldest acts of man, namely, properties, in fact better than those of any carrying on war. The present war has in­ synthetic moulding material. Below is a troduced many new problems to the table giving the more interesting properties scientific investigator, and not a few of of the three types of moulding material: — these problems have, been solved by the use of plastic materials. Melamine’s hard­ Chopped Cellulose fabric Asbestos ness and general resistance have made it filler. filler. filler. a most valuable material in the war effort. Impact Strength Adhesives based on it have played a most (BSS771) ... .25 .68 .3 important part in the construction of Tensile Strength wooden parts of aircraft and in some of the (lb./sq. in.) ... 7570 3600 5900 modern all-wood aircraft. Without the Volume Rosisti- use of melamine it would probably not have vity (ohms/ cms) 10'3 1013 10 been possible to make the advances in Dielectric Strength wood-constructed aircraft and in small (volts/m il) ... 340 270 535 wooden craft which have been made. Arc Resistance When it is remembered that, even in the (P ro p o se d tropics, an aircraft at great height is more m ethod) ... 125 111 133 or less in arctic conditions, and yet on secs. secs. secs. coming down to earth will be in a hot, In view of their high dielectric strength, humid atmosphere, the wonderful pro­ melamine moulding materials are used in perties of melamine resins will be appre­ mouldings in ignition systems of aircraft ciated. engines, and, of course, in circuit-breakers, terminal blocks and other electrical parts. Micro-Thickness Gauges.—A new publi­ In view of their not too abundant avail­ cation issued by the Cambridge Instrument ability their use has been more or less Co., Ltd., describes a range of Cambridge restricted to direct war purposes, but there micro-thickness gauges for use on rolling are indications of a great future in civilian mills and on calendering machines in metal applications. and also rubber industries. August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN 211 Hydro-Electric Schemes By A. G. AREND. N' view of a number of controversies the rainfall is known to exceed 100 in. per I which have arisen at the present time year. The almost unbroken record of rain­ in connection with the benefits which may­ fall in the mountainous regions of this be derived from the harnessing of water­ country, so frequently derided by intend­ power, certain features require to be made ing holidaymakers, is one of the most clear, in order that a true and unbiassed potent factors in favour of hydro-schcmes criterion of the economies available can here. The drought which is so serious to be gained. Modern industry, in almost all such schemes in other lands has not to be its forms, depends upon the acquisition suffered. of cheap electric current. What fall in water-level exists need not Without it, foreign competition would necessarily involve a pumping-back of the sooner or later exert a serious influence, used water, as witness the extensive surge and this is probably best exemplified by tanks installed for the Neiderwartha pump the extensive hydro-electric schemes which storage power plant. at the moment are being contemplated in Possible Economies South American countries Reference has The economies possible by obtaining already been made in this journal to cheap current directly at site are not schemes in Scandinavian and other north­ always fully appreciated, as the subject is ern countries, where the use of sites for a large one, and so many different types high-head installations and wooden pipe­ of industries are concerned. The student lines permit the harnessing and production is frequently given the illustration of elec­ of power at a mere fraction of the cost tric steel-making practice, where the bene­ which is possible by alternative means. fits of solid fuel are utilised in the initial Although other water sources may not melting process. Thus, iron is raised to be so favourably placed, the independence molten condition in a cupola, and run into and permanence of the hydro, scheme in the electric hearth, where advantage is general is too well established to brook taken of the necessary high temperatures. much in the way of argument. Climatic To start the melting with cold scrap means conditions are, however, important, and that the great heat from the electric arc the matter of weather reports, which have is largely dissipated in th e early- stages. been so improved of recent years, indicates The other side of the economy- question, the nature of what rainfall may possibly' less frequently quoted, has also to be ob­ be contemplated. Whereas the recording served, namely, the use of electric current of atmospheric depressions has been of in preparing glass. Here, the raw mate­ assistance in other quarters, it has been rials are melted in a special arc, or resist­ of somewhat doubtful value in foretelling ance hearth, and then run into a gas-fired possible rainfall in this country. In Uru­ secondary hearth where the_ molten mass guay-, where the average rainfall approxi­ is “ held ” for a lengthy period. It would mates to 50 inches a year, it fluctuates not be economical to carry out this “ hold­ between 25 and 72 inches, and droughts ing ’’ process by electrical means, as the are both frequent and sometimes serious. period of time eventually necessitates the The Rainfall Factor consumption of too many kilowatts. For Instances have been quoted where there this reason, and because gas-firing is put has been no rain for months at a time, and to difficulty in initially raising a high tem­ recently Uruguay was recovering from one perature rapidly, electric heating is more of the worst droughts it had experienced cheaply utilised only at the commence­ in 40 years. Despite this practical diffi­ ment. Glass as made by the electric pro­ culty, which is unknown in this country, cess appears to have enjoyed somewhat provision is being made to serve their limited success, but this serves as a good cities with current from harnessed water example of how current costs work out. schemes. A third illustration is that of producing Recognising the future possibilities of ferro-manganese, where, in contradistinc­ this work, Chilean interests have adopted tion to the usual conception, it is some­ two Portland cement plants where a con­ times more economical to engage small sumption of 600 000 tons is scheduled for hearths rather than large furnaces. Radia­ 1945. tion losses and other associated matters Both smelteries and chemical plants usually indicate the benefits of the more have been erected to take advantage of the capacious furnace, but as far back as the cheap power which will accrue from the last war period it was recognised that high southern provinces of this State, where volatilisation losses were associated closely 212 • THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945 with high operating voltages. In furnaces them, which in turn restricts the expansion with an average input of 3 600 kW using of their uses for preparing other connected 115' V, a t a 'freq u en cy of 60, one ton of chemical products. Nitric acid has been ferro-manganese worked o u t a t 4 800 kW quoted as necessitating upwards of 14 with a power factor of 0.8 and 15 per cent, kWh per pound, and in certain quarters, was lost by volatilisation, while another phosphorus requires 11 kWh per pound. 10 per cent, passed to the slag. In certain Antiquated Processes respects, therefore, it pays to instal the small hearth in preference to the larger Despite the advancement made in furnace. From an entirely different aspect, chemical sciences -generally, the restric­ the electro-chemical industry rarely bene­ tion introduced by high current costs has fits by the installation of capacious cells. resulted in antiquated wet processes being Instead, a multitude of small cells have persevered with. At the present time proved themselves most efficient for the (1945), the process of distilling nitric acid large bulk of wet electrolytic processes. from a mixture of sodium nitrate and sul­ This has brought difficulties in its phuric acid, using plant still largely made train in that great secrecy has been ob­ of glass, as was done a century ago, is able served, and relatively little practical in­ to compete with the modem synthetic pro­ formation divulged on the modus opcrandi, cess. Phosphorus which is important for since a small producer might be capable of fertilizer purposes, baking powder, directly competing with a large chemical matches, sugar refining, and the making concern. No such conditions arose before of thin iron castings, etc., in its different the small electrolytic cell was evolved. The forms, was only made in the U.S.A., by raising of heat within the cell usually the electro-thermal process a few years means an unnecessary loss of current, and prior to the war, and there were certain the smaller cell is more easily insulated, misgivings that the earlier blast-furnace although in the production of several of process, which gave a less pure product, the per-salts, resort is made to the use of was not still the most economical. The hollow water-cooled electrodes. Some indi­ list of chemicals in a similar category is too elaborate to deal with in limited space, cation of the privacy maintained will be but briefly the high cost of current has re­ gathered when it is mentioned that a recog­ sulted in the continuance of ancient nised maker of electrolytic cells was un­ systems which provide impure material, aware that far more organic chemical com­ and have a poor future to anticipate. pounds are prepared by electrolytic means Apart from the type of chemical pro­ (although in smaller actual tonnage) than ducts formed in solution by electrolytic inorganic salts. action, a more extreme example of the Need for Cheap Current extensive possibilities which may obtain when really cheap current is available, is The economical use of current has to seen in the combined electrolytic and be taken in conjunction with the conveni­ chemical precipitation systems. ence which it provides, since a number of The only one of these which at present chemical processes depend on its use for appears to be carried out on a large scale Specific reduction and oxidation reactions is the production of white lead. A large only, while the remainder of the system is factory of the Anaconda company in North performed by direct chemical reaction. Tire Chicago makes this material as a contin­ production of podium perborate Necessi­ uous output, in place of the ancient Dutch tates the expenditure of 3 kW per pound, process, which, after a period of months, but there is no alternative means of mak­ gives the same product. Current con­ ing it. In converting sodium chlorate to sumption ranges from 0.1 to 0.15 kWh per perchlorate each pound consumes 1.7 pound. The anolyte and catholyte are kWh, but the conversion of potassium operated as separate processes, wherein manganate to the permanganate condition, sodium acetate reacts with the crude lead which lends itself to more direct per-oxida- anodes, and sodium carbonate precipitates tion, only involves 0.3 kWh per pound. the white lead from the solution so ob­ The cost of current is thus a serious matter tained. By this means crude lead is refined in preparing certain per-salts, and the at the same time, as it is only pure lead same remarks apply to a number of which passes to the finished product, and organic compounds, since even the oxida­ all impurities such as bismuth, etc., are tion of anthracene to anthraquinone, which collected for uses elsewhere. As details of is the basis of alizarin, necessitates 1.2 this system have appeared previously a kith per pound. repetition would not be justified, but it is Progress in the electro-chemical field has noteworthy that this is only one of the been held up by the high cost of current, many processes which can be operated in and where substitute chemical methods this manner. In other words, instead of cannot come to the rescue, there is no eleetrolytieally refining metals to their alternative but to pay a high price for finished stage, the crude anode can be fully August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN electrolysed and a completed salt made one of the fewr firms which use this method simultaneously. Other examples are cop­ and which holds the advantage that when per carbonate, lead hydrogen arsenate, short circuiting arises it can only affect mercuric oxide, and tin salts. These one set of tanks. The advantages and methods mean that a double use can be disadvantages of such methods have been made of the electroly tic action, and provided a matter of controversy, but without cheap cheap current is available, time is saved on current these arrangements would be two separate counts. literally worthless, as the tendency is to At the present moment in this country, consume more than the usual amount of poiver. It is hoped the above notes will the ancient Dutch process of making white give some indication of the state of affairs lead is still persevered with, while certain peculiar to the use of current in the makers of tin chloride dissolvo pure granu­ chemical and metallurgical lines, where, of lated tin by slowly treating it with hydro­ course, the greatest consumption is in the chloric acid. preparation of ferro-molybdenum, other Copper oxide, Cu,0 which enjoys numer­ ous important industrial uses, instead of ferro-alloys, and carborundum, etc. being slowly prepared from other salts, The subject is so large and varied that it is produced from metallic copper anodes in would almost necessitate some form of eco­ an electrolyte of sodium chloride. These nomist to be engaged to assess the respec­ represent but a few of the innumerable tive costs, but one feature stands out clear precipitates which can be formed from and untrammelled in any way, namely, solutions which have been withdrawn by that cheap current is the basis of success electrolysis, giving an entirely pure mate­ for all of these processes. Irrespective of rial, with a minimum of labour. howsoever slow may be the interest shewn in countries unused to this work the basic Reason for Tardiness feature of harnessing all available water schemes is the first step in the right In each case, the process functions night direction, as sooner or later, use will be and day, and a large number of electrolysis made of them, and prosperity for many baths can be attended to by the one opera­ industries will be assured. tive. Without unduly elaborating on the point, it has to be noted that the chief reason for the apparent tardiness of ¡manu­ facturers here to adopt these improved Notes for Contractors.—Mr. L. C. systems, is that current can be obtained as Penwill, director and secretary of the cheaply from power stations at one part N.F.E.A., draws the attention of members of the country as another. to their obligation to register through the Where large appropriate water-power office of the association, all labour under schemes are available, the price of the 21 years of age coming within category 11 powrer, when obtained directly from source, of the agreem ent of Ju n e 14, 1943. At can be a fraction of that produced by al­ the meeting of the Standing Committee on ternative means. This of course, depends August 1, 1945, it was agreed th a t for the on a number of factors such as the close­ war period a lodging allowance of 10s. 6d. ness of the site from which the high-head shall be paid to operatives taking their installation is available, ground burdens week’s paid holiday, but only if they are in and the amount of transmission necessary. receipt of a country allowance in accord­ It seems almost anomalous that any restric­ ance with clause 13 of the National Work­ tion would indicate that antiquated chemi­ ing Rules, or clause 6, sub-clause 2(b) of cal and metallurgical processes should still the agreem ent of Septem ber 6, 1944. Such be given preference over unequivocally allowance shall be paid in respect of holi­ improved methods. days commenced after A ugust 17, 1945, In other directions, instead of making and shall not be paid retrospectively in separate electrodes, one of the Soderberg respect of holidays taken before that date. smelting furnace processes makes provision The question of the conditions of service for these to be automatically produced for men who are required to travel abroad while the other fusion reactions are in has been the subject of consideration by progress. The raw carbon materials and tie National Joint Industrial Council, and binder are fed continuously into an upper an endeavour is being made to arrive at section, which, after forming to the familiar an agreement on the matter. In the mean­ cylindrical shape, are duly baked, and the time the National J.I.C. has passed a reso­ hot-end enters the hearth proper where the lution expressing the opinion that labour smelting takes place. From another aspect, under the age of 20 years should not be the wet eleotrolytic refining of copper, compelled to work on contracts outside the which is usually performed in tanks oper­ United Kingdom. Such labour should ated on the multiple system, can also be only be sent abroad if a lad, or his parents carried out by the series system. The on his behalf, express willingness for him Nichols Copper Co. Brooklyn, U.S.A., is to go. 214 THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945 The Queen Elizabeth Details of the Great Liner’s Electrical Installation HE world's largest liner, the “ Queen unusual di,rcumstances to run all these T Elizabeth,” which recently visited her machines at the same time under normal home port, Southampton, has been some­ conditions there will always be one machine what of a mystery boat, for she made her idle. Each generator consists of two dyna­ maiden voyage, necessarily kept a secret, mos of 1 100 kW capacity driven in tandem in 1940, and was immediately swallowed by a steam turbine through single reduc­ up by the mists of war. Since then, mainly tion gearing. The turbines rotate at a as a troopship, she has done magnificent speed of 4 500 r.p.m., but this is reduced service for the Admiralty. through the gearing to 600 revolutions at Planned luxuriously for the Cunard White the dynamo. In accordance with latest Star Company’s Atlantic fleet, -the great power station practice each turbine is pro­ liner is built on remarkably graceful lines. vided with a separate condenser incor­ She is ten feet longer than her sister ship, porated in the design of the set ; thus, -with the “ Queen Mary,” and is easily distin­ independent vacuum maintaining pumps, guished by her two funnels, compared with ejectors and lubrication systems, each the earlier vessel’s three. generator is practically an independent unit. To suit the general arrangement of the Two Separate Power Stations machines in their compartments it was . At the time of her going into commission found desirable to provide two condenser it was not possible to publish a description circulating pumps in each station, each of the new liner, but we are now able to pump being capable of circulating one con­ give details of the electrical installation. denser but suitably cross-connected. Steam, as a source of energy, apart from The two power stations are similar in the main propelling machinery and the arrangement, each supplies both hotel re­ electrical generating machinery, is con­ quirements and propulsion auxiliaries, the spicuous by its absence throughout the one the port side and the other the star­ “ Queen Elizabeth.” All the deck machin­ board side and can work independently or ery, such as steering gear, windlass, cap­ be coupled together to function as one stans, cargo, baggage, mail and boat unit. Each compartment is 42 ft. long, winches, etc., are electrically operated, but 38 ft. wide and 28 ft. high, and the switch­ the advantages offered by electricity as a board rooms, situated forward of the power medium have not been confined to generator rooms in such a position as to the decks. In the main engine rooms and provide a view of the machinery, are each boiler rooms all the auxiliary machinery, 40 ft. long, 29 ft. wide and 15 ft. high. with one or-two exceptions, is electrically operated. Electric lighting and heating on The Switchgear a floating hotel calls for a supply of current- The switchboards controlling the genera­ of no insignificant order. The entire elec­ tors are each 23 ft. long and aro arranged trical requirements of the ship are pro­ athwartship, the feeder boards, .each 24 ft. vided by two separate power stations long, being placed for and aft. From these arranged on either side of a centre line feeder boards the cables pass up to the port water-tight bulkhead between Nos. 2 and and starboard sides of “ A'” deck for the 3 boiler rooms. The total power which hotel service distributing system and to these stations can produce it S S00 kW, “ E ” deck for main machinery require­ which is sufficient to provide illumination ments. The cables are connected to 50 for a city with about 300 000 30 W lamps, auxiliary switchboards and can be so con­ or to meet the lighting and public services nected as to form several ring mains enab­ of a tow nship of nearly 150 000 people. ling the port and starboard boards to be This power is judiciously divided to ensure fed from either the port or starboard the reliable functioning of the ship as an generator room. These auxiliary boards hotel apart from her function as an ocean are so disposed that each watertight or fire­ liner. Both power stations are entirely in­ proof section of the ship has its own board, dependent, but they are, nevertheless, so thus avoiding as far as possible the piercing inter-connected that in the almost incon­ of bulkheads for the passing of cables from ceivable exigency of a breakdown occurring one section to another. in one station current can be obtained from The system of control and distribution of the other station to earn.’ on to a limited electric power is as nearly infallible as extent the functions of the disabled one. can be imagined and every precaution has In each power station there are two been taken to ensure a continuous supply generator units, each of 2 200 kW capacity. of current under the most abnormal con­ While it may be necessary under certain ditions. August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN

The main cables, forming the_ ring mains merged log, fire alarm bells; electric clocks, are of copper 1 square inch in sectional etc., are operated from this system. In area with suitable insulation, the final de­ addition, two batteries of approved capa­ cision regarding the latter being made after city are installed for operating this equip­ extensive tests on different combinations ment, and are so arranged that they will had been carried out. Sixty 1 in. cables automatically come into action should the are required to feed the ring main for hotel motor generators break down. services and 126 to feed the ring mam In accordance with the requirements of for machinery services. The type of cable the Board of Trade an emergency electric to be used for the branch lines received generating plant is installed in a compart­ as much and as careful consideration as ment on “ B ” deck, remote from the main the main cables. power stations. Two Diesel engine driven Whilst by far the greatest amount of sets each of 75 kW capacity are installed current generated) in the two stations is with, all the necessary equipment for quick used for power purposes, that is, for use starting and continuous running. in electric motors, the amount of current A detailed description of the lighting of required for other purposes is of no mean the vessel and of the many electrical de­ order. The lighting of the ship accounts vices for the safety and convenience of for a considerable amount of the current operating the ship in the shape of indica­ produced by the generators. Not only has tors, alarms, etc., is beyond the scope of the ship to be efficiently illuminated, but cer­ this article. There are approximately 650 tain modern decorative schemes employ electric motors ranging from } h .p . to 360 lights as a feature for giving tone and H .P . in the ship and totalling in all about effect to the artist’s conception. 16 500. h .p . The number of electric lamps Whilst the heating of the accommodation required is in the region of 30 000. is primarily arranged in conjunction with The whole installation has been built up the ventilation, electric heaters in the state­ on the unique experience of the company rooms supplement the air heating system. in the equipping and running of large pas­ Electric cabin fans under the control of senger liners and it can be safely assumed the passenger will also be installed in each that nothing which will contribute to the stateroom. The switching arrangements safety of the ship and the convenience of for the cabin lights has received very care­ the passengers has been left undone. The ful consideration to give the passenger regulations for the electrical equipment of every facility for controlling them from ships as laid down by the Institution of convenient points. Electrical Engineers, the requirements of Electric Kitchen Equipment Lloyd’s Register of Shipping and the Board of Trade as regards electric installations The greatest load on the hotel services have all been more than fully met in this is that required for the galleys. All the vessel. cooking ranges, hot presses, ovens, etc., in the kitchen are electrically heated. Elec­ tricity is also made use of to an unusual Turbo-Electric Tankers.—An order has extent in the kitchens to facilitate the been placed by the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum general service. Apart from the ranges Co., Ltd., for an oil tanker of 17 600 tons and ovens, the following equipment is pro­ deadweight, with a. service speed of 16 vided : electrically heated fryers, each knots. This vessel will have 13 000 s.h.p. with two pans; electric salamanders; elec­ turbo-electric propulsion equipment, and tric mixing machines; coffee grinders; ice turbo-generators for the auxiliary services, shaving machine; burnishing machines for made by the British Thomson-Houston Co., ranges and for silver; toasters; waffle Ltd. The arrangement of the turbo- irons; griddle plates; dish washing mach­ alternators and propeller motor is be­ ines; cutting machines; orange juice ex­ lieved to be novel in that the advantages tractors ; dough mixing machines; dough of the twin-screw turbo-electric equipment dividing and roll making machine; ice are retained in a single screw vessel. This cream machine; ice breaking machine; is done by having two electrically indepen­ knife cleaning machines, etc. The current dent “ half motors ” mounted together for all the equipment previously men­ in the same frame and driving on to the tioned is delivered by the generators at a same shaft. Each Of the two sets of wind­ pressure of 220 V d.c. For many purposes ings contributes half the total shaft horse­ throughout the ship current at a lower power under full load conditions, but eco­ pressure is desirable. A low pressure elec­ nomical operation can be obtained by using trical system is therefore provided through one turbo-altemator and one “ half a motor generator taking current at 220 motor ” unit at about three-quarters of V and delivering it at 25 V. All stateroom the maximum ship speed. Control is call bells and indicators, loud speaking effected by lever-operated contactor con­ and inter-communication telephones, sub­ trol equipment. 216 THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945 Electrical Accidents Factory Department’s Report— Fewer Fatalities H E 1944 issue of the annual report of important stations, and some progress had T the Factory Department (Electrical been made in the installation of protec­ Branch) appears once more in war-timetive gear of this type. The possibility of guise, (but there is a change in the method incorrect operation had, no douibt, been of production of the last fifteen years, in one of the factors to be seriously con­ that the Department has refrained from sidered by those responsible for the'equip- comment on the figures, leaving the reader ment of electrical stations. to draw his own conclusions. Tins issue Some of the more unusual aspects of is mainly a collection of comments and re­ the problem of earth connections and earth ports on well-established and new indus­ faults are dealt with. trial processes prepared b y H.-M. electrical inspectors of factories, each dealing with Earth Leakage Risks the industries and problems encountered in Most engineers, states the report, were his own area. well aware of the effect of leakage in por­ The electrical accidents reportable under table tools, etc., and the means required the Factories Act numbered 1 072, of which for preventing accidents therefrom. The 31 were fatal. There were 45 accidents risk in such eases was'shock. A second, notified, 13 fatal, which were found to be and very important, risk was fire. It was non-reportable, and, in addition, 113 elec­ usually difficult to assess the causation of trical fatalities in places other than fac­ a fire, ¡but, in some such cases, signs of tory premises came unofficially to the sustained earth leakage currents had ¡been notice of the Department, the total known unmistakable. fatalities due to electricity being 157, In rural districts, where the efficiency of against 165 in 1043, 181 in 1942, 170 in the earthing arrangements both of instal­ 1941, an d 150 in 1940. lations and transformer neutrals, was Difficulties had been experienced for a always problematical, the dangers of sus­ number of years, states the report, in the tained earth leakage were always present, operation of arc furnace switchgear. These unless some form of protection other than arose (from the comparatively great fre­ over-current was provided. quency with which the switches were In certain industries, where a special opened and closed for the purpose of tap fire and/or explosive risk was present, changing, and also from rather less fre­ some form of earth leakage indication, to­ quent operation on overload. gether with an alarm arrangement to give warning of dangerous leakage, was more or “ Permit-to Work ” Systems less compulsory, and the tendency to ex­ Typical accidents that have occurred in tend the requirement to new processes had connection with switchgear are described. been noted, as, for example, acétylène The use of “ Permit to Work ” cards manufacture, magnesium grinding, aero for the control of work on high tension engine testing, nitrate salt baths for heat and other dangerous equipment was now treatment of aluminium, etc. fairly general, but, unless the system One rather interesting arrangement adopted was carefully thought out, mis­ which had been noted in certain areas was understandings were likely to arise. designed to overcome the main abjection A fatality on a 11 000 V. switchboard raised to the adoption of earth leakage in a railway sub-station showed the neces­ protection. An earth leakage indicator sity for following a standard routine with (plus recorder and/or alarm) was arranged regard -to making dead, testing and earth­ to take care of the low values of leakage, ing any part oif the switchboard on which a relay being installed set- to trip the re­ work was to be done. quisite switch should a dangerously high Another accident which occurred while value of leakage current be sustained an electric fitter was engaged in replac­ through failure of over-current devices to ing some under-rated oil circuit breakers operate. Such an arrangement had been in a sub-station as part of an extensive applied to several shipyards during the programme of switch replacement, showed year in connection with their new alternat­ the necessity for strict adherence to “ Per- ing current welding layouts. mit-to-Work ” systems, both on the part From time to time various points had of the engineer in charge and on the part been raised with regard to safety in con­ of the man actually doing the work. nection with portable apparatus and, in From time to time, reference had been view of the increase in use of three-phase made t-o the desirability of some form of portable and transportable equipment, it bus zone protection, at least for the more was now considered advisable to draw at­ August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN 217

tention to the possibility of a “two-pin and schemes of examination. These signs of earth ” plug being inadvertently pushed general progress were encouraging and into a socket outlet-connected to a 400/440 would tend to prevent accidents. V three-iphase supply, thus making alive In the 1943 report, reference was made the frame of the portable apparatus con­ to the difficulties being experienced due nected to the two-pin and earth plug. It to lack of care in providing return circuits was an unfortunate fact that both the for electric welding, with an impedance as 5 A and 15 A sizes of two-pin and earth low as practicable. In 1944 a num ber of plugs made to dimensions of a British cases of damage to primary earth connec­ standard specification could quite readily tions of the welding transformer had been be inserted into certain types of 15 A and reported, together with several causes of 30 A three-phase socket outlets for which damage to fitting tackle and to earthing there was no British standard specifica­ conductors in 3-core cables supplying por­ tion. table electric tools. There was ¿Iso a fire Warning Notices Insufficient risk if stray welding current was carried by gas pipes, or by the structural steel­ Under these conditions there was every work of ¡buildings such as dockside ware­ possibility of a serious, if not fatal, acci­ houses. This matter had continued to re­ dent. The average user of portable elec­ ceive considerable attention and, apart trical apparatus was not trained t-o know from training welders to take as much the difference between single and three- care with their return connections as with phase electric circuits and could hardly be their welding leads, the following varia­ blamed for putting a plug into a socket tion of the usual practice in connection outlet which it appeared to fit. Such in­ with welding circuits had been evolved. terchangeable plugs and sockets should, The arrangement was not new as far as d.c. therefore, not be used on the same pre­ circuits were concerned, but, until lately, mises, and to do so was considered to be it had not ¡been used to a large extent with contributory towards a breach of the Elec­ a.c. circuits. tricity Regulations. Here it might- foe as well to say that notices warning users The New Arrangement against the use of one -particular type of plug in another form of socket were not The usual practice had been to earth considered sufficient and, where non-inter- one pole, or the neutral point of generator changeability was necessary, it must foe or transformer windings supplying welding secured by actual physical dimensions of circuits at the -generator frame or trans­ the connectors concerned. It was hoped former tank. In the alternative arrange­ that something might be done in the near ment, t-he welding circuit was insulated future toy the introduction of a standard from earth at the generator or trans­ specification for three-pin and earth plugs former, but earthed at the work, so that and sockets which would give effect to none of the return welding current could flow through the earth connection of the this. generator or transformer tank, through The importance of p r o p e r maintenance of portable tools and associated flexible lifting tackle, or the earth connections of cables and connectors, together with the portable tools. In the case of multi­ need of testing and checking continuity of operator sets, however, although the first earth conductors, both in the flexible-cable operator must connect the work to the and on the fixed socket outlet, had been welding supply by a return lead, the stressed in several previous reports. Acci­ second operator might proceed to weld with dents still occurred, however, due to ne­ only an electrode lead on another piece of work which might be only fortuitously glect of these precautions. earthed, or he might adopt an arrange­ In last year’s report there were, inter ment such as laying a piece of angle or nlin references to the acute shortage ot skilled maintenance electricians, and the tube on his work and leaning it up against some earthed metal, thus avoiding the use lee-way that would require to be made up. of a return lead. Such an arrangement The position might be difficult for a year would result in wandering currents or two, pending the return from the ser­ between the second piece of work and the vices of qualified men, and the training ot original, ¡which might again involve lifting fresh entrants to industry. There were tackle and earth connections of portable undoubtedly greatly varying views as to tools. It also loaded up the return cur­ what constituted a skilled maintenance rent cable of No. 1 operator, but it could electrician, and inspection often revealed not damage the generator or transformer a serious lack of technical knowledge and main earth connections. With the new experience in persons put in charge of fac- arrangement, therefore, it was still essen­ torv electrical installations and plant-. tial that welders should be trained to be During the war there had been Govern­ careful to fix adequate return circuit con­ ment training centres and, more than one nections, but the danger to the earth eon- trade association had started internal 218 THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945 nection oi the transformer or generator British Electrical and Allied Industries was eliminated. Research Association, so as to determine In some cases existing plant was so their grouping for the .purpose of flame­ arranged that the welding supply winding proof electrical apparatus. These tests must be earthed at the frame of the gene­ had gone ahead during the year, and much rator or the transformer tank, and, in this valuable work had now been accomplished instance, there was no alternative, than since the research was first commenced to continue with the use of the first-men­ some years ago. Some work arising from tioned arrangement. the original programme still remained to There had already heen some experience be done, and might yet take a little time of the arrangement with the welding earth to complete. The data already available, at the work in shipbuilding yards, and, in however, would foe used in the revision of those cases where it had been tried, there B.S.229, now being undertaken, and it had been a marked decrease in tire was hoped that the issue of that document troubles previously experienced with trans­ would not long be delayed. This, together former earth connections, lifting tackle and with the issue of a code of practice deal­ portable electric tools. ing with flameproof installations, which Dangerous Accessories was toeing pursued in another place, would make available information which Inspection of a large number of pre­ had not hitherto been obtainable in pub­ mises where electric arc welding was car­ lished form. ried on had revealed that a number of Tho necessity for keeping flameproof accessories were in use- which could have electrical equipment in good condition is been of better design. The most common stressed. fault was the use of electrode holders with Certain dusts are highly inflammable and no insulating disc fitted to the handle to when mixed with suitable proportions of prevent inadvertent contact by the opera­ air, form an explosive mixture. During tor with the live part of the holder. A 1944 the Branch had occasion to consider numlber of electrode holders were in use an electrostatic precipitator plant for re­ with live metal exposed at the handle, so moving an inflammable dust from the air that the welder’s glove was the only safe­ stream of a ventilating plant. In general, guard between the operator and an elec­ it would seem that the electrostatic de­ tric shock. A number of electric shock posit of inflammable dusts involved in­ accidents were due to electrode holders herent risk which should bo balanced at being left about alive and there was no the planning stage, against the, cost of the doubt that some means or other of readily precautions desirable. making dead the exposed metal conduct­ ing parts of the holder would be a means High Frequency Burns of reducing the number of such accidents. Considerable interest had been displayed It was obvious that more thought must in high frequency heating during 1944. be given by occupiers to equipment in­ Tho heating circuit was at such high fre­ volving trolley wires, if safety was to foe quency that, even at high voltages, tho better assured. Those responsible for de­ danger from electric shock was not great, sign, construction and installation could but, on the other hand, contact with one assist greatly fov way of collaboration with of the conductors might be attended toy the user and making themselves acquainted a serious high frequency burn which was with particular working conditions. usually deep seated. Tho precautions While accidents involving the use of normally required were enclosure of all crane lifting magnets application were not parts of tho high frequency generating numerous, they did occur, states the re­ equipment with interlocks so arranged port. Some of the electrical features, in­ that access was possible only when the cluding matters requiring consideration, high pressure supply had b een c u t off with recommendations, are mentioned. from the equipment and all large conden­ Some space was occupied in the report sers discharged and earthed if the circuit last year dealing with conditions in the arrangement was not such as to seoure aircraft industry where electrical apparatus automatic discharge. All conductors at is used in the presence of petrol. This medium pressure inside tho genoruting en­ year had seen The Factories (Testing of closure should be insulated or enclosed to Aircraft Engines, Carburettors and Other prevent accidental contact therewith after Accessories) Order, 19-14, brought into obtaining access to the enclosure. force, and this had made obligatory cer­ The high frequency heating should foe tain safeguards where testing is carried done in an enclosure also provided with on of the type which the Order indicates. an interlock to prevent access while live. There was a reference in the previous Such an arrangement could foe devised year’s report to the programme of tests also to form a screen to prevent omission of specified gases ¡being carried out by the causing radio interference and therapeutic Safety in Mines Research Board and the effect on the workers. THE ELECTRICIAN 219 August 31, 1945 Electronic Measuring Instruments Increasing Range of Applications ness by mechanical calipers. Near flanges T T has beervfound possible to make elec- and connections, direct, ealipering can be 1 tronic instruments more rapid in re­ carried out. By far the greatest number sponse, more sensitive, more robust and of measurements must be made where tnis m some cases, less expensive than other is not possible. In these cases a hole must types. In an early example of the apph be drilled in the wall to be measured, and cation of electronics to the design of thn, a micrometer similar to that used by boiler type of instrument, the galvanometer of inspectors is necessary. After the measure­ the conventional potentiometer ^replaced ment has been made, the hole must be by a vacuum tube amplifier. The d.c fed closed by tapping, screwing m a plug, and to the amplifier is converted to a.c. dj welding it in place. In some locations even means of a carbon microphone. The am­ this technique fails. Methods invoking plifier output is applied through a pair o measurement of magnetic flux have been thyratrons to a reversible motor m such used for this purpose, but they tail for a l ay as to bring the potentmmeter to bal­ nonmagnetic alloys. ance. The instrument gives rapid response (3 seconds for full-scalo traverse), is sem Measurement by Rays sitive, and is robust and claimed to be An instrument has been devised to meet this specific need, the principle of which ^nothefrnethod of achieving rapid^ re­ mav be described as follows. A source of sponse and high .sensitivity electromcaUi penetrating rays, such as gamma rays, is in recording potentiometers is bj the use placed next to the wall to be measured. oi a mirror galvanometer, which actuates Some of the ravs pass through the wall and tlie potentiometer balancing motor through emerge on the opposite side, serving no a photoelectric relay. This^system. avoids useful purpose. Part of the remainder are all mechanical contact with the gait an scattered at all angles by the molecules meter, and permits inverse feed-bac;k s making up the wall. Of the scattered rays, that its speed of response can be some emerge on the same side of the wall The fastest instrument of this type can as the source. The intensity of these rays cross a 10 in. scale in 2 seconds. The pnee ¡3 measured by means of a Geiger-MueHer of the standard models is comparable wit tube. It is a" function of the wall thick­ that of mechanically balanced recording ness. potentiometers. High-speed models are The instrument consists of two parts— somewhat more expensive. 1 V,measuring head and the recorder. The Electronic Potentiometer measuring head contains the source of penetrating rays, a shield to prevent direct The electronic potentiometer is among radiation from the course from reaching the most recent developments in this held. the Geiger-MueHer counter, the counter, In it the galvanometer is replaced by an and the pre-amplifier for the counter. The amplifier. The d.c. input to the amplifier source of radiation is a milligram oi is converted to a.c. by means of a syn- radium. Permanent magnets are used to chronous vibrator. The.putput of the!j hold the measuring head in place on mag­ tube amplifier is sufficient to d n ve the netic samples. balancing motor directly. The fastest m- The recorder contains the scaling circuit etrument of ¿his line traverses a 10 m. generally used with Geiger-MueHer counters scale in 4.5 seconds. , The application of electronics to record­ -—in this case one which rejects 127 out of ing potentiometer design has increased their 128 counts, so that the counting rate is speed to such an extent that they respond slow enough to actuate an electro­ more quickly than the thermocouples and mechanical counter. An electric timer is processes with which they are used, provided to measure the counting period. take full advantage of the later types, The thickness is obtained by referring the special attention has to be paid to the^e number of counts for a 22.5-second period factors. . ■ to a graph showing the number of coimts One of the problems met m the opera­ for this period as a function of waH thick­ tion of high-pressure refinery and chemical ness. The latest model of the instrument plant equipment is periodic inspection to weighs about 40 ibs. and will measure waH determine whether corrosion, or erosion, thickness up to about O.io in. with ^ an has weakened it to a dangerous extent, ihe accuracy of a few per cent, of the thick­ method almost universally used for this ness involved. In practice it was found purpose is measurement of the wall thick­ 2 2 0 THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945 that measurements at 150 points could be more satisfactory, solutions. As an ex­ made during an 8-hour working day. ample, we may note the fact that, while In addition to wall thickness, the instru­ recording potentiometers now make exten­ ment can measure liquid levels and liquid sive use of electronic methods, the control densities. It can, therefore, be used to equipment to be used with them preferred answer the question “ How can you by most plant men is of the pneumatic measure the wall thickness of a continuous type. In many cases the makers can hollow steel sphere together with the level supply either electrical or pneumatic con­ and specific gravity of the unknown trol equipment for use with their recorders. amount of liquid it contains without drill­ The two types seem to be equal as far as ing or cutting it in any way? ” speed, sensitivity and general performance An instrument named the 1 ‘ supersonic are concerned. However, tlje pneumatic reflectoscope ” has also been developed. type seems to have the edge where sim­ This instrument sends a short train of plicity and freedom from maintenance is supersonic waves into the article to be concerned. examined. Waves reflected back from the An electronic device for automatically opposite side of the body can be picked up maintaining the temperature of laboratory at the entering side and used to determine ovens to within =0.5° C. is another now the thickness of the body. Flaws in the development. The device consists of two interior also give reflections which enable portions—the oscillator unit and the unit them to be detected. Metal articles many containing the power supply and relays. feet in thickness have been inspected. It The oscillator is housed in a 2.5 in. cubical is sensitive enough to detect with ease a plastic case. It is designed around a 955 hole 0.013 in. in diameter in a 10-in. steel “ acorn ” triode tube and operates at a block. With further development, this in­ high non-critical frequency. The unit can strument may prove more versatile than slide over the end of a mercury ther­ the one just described. mometer so that the top of the mercury The instruments cited give a small idea column is within the tank coil of the oscil­ of the accomplishments of electronics in lator at the desired operating temperature. the field of instruments. Hundreds of In operation, an increase in temperature similar examples could be given to cover causes the mercury column of the ther­ an even wider range of applications than mometer to rise in the oscillator tank coil, those mentioned. Practically any measure­ detunes it, and causes a rising plate current ment problem can be solved electronically which operates relays in such a way as to if ingenuity is exercised. However, we turn off the oven heater power. The device should remember that in many cases other is a novel application of electronics to the methods will give equally satisfactory, or problem of temperature control. Sir Lawrence Bragg’s Broadcast N a broadcast on atomic energy on Sun­ tude as the first use of fire, or of domestic I day night, Sir Lawrence Bragg, Caven­ animals, or of agriculture, and is bringing, dish Professor of Experimental Physics at as they did, a general transformation of Cambridge University, said that the world the kind of life it is possible for human is living at the beginning of one of the beings to live. “ Power to control nature epochs, measured in tens of hundreds of is not in itself civilisation, but it is the thousands of years, when the whole struc- foundation on which civilisation is built. t-ure_of human society undergoes a vast Each time that this power has been in­ change. He joined with the optimists who creased in the past it has made possible a think that the inevitable end of our scien­ richer life. What has happened in the past tific and technical achievements is a world will happen again.” welded into one unit. He continued : People were apt to talk of the scientists “ I even dare to hope the last great turning their energies to inventing terrible achievement, atomic energy, may mark the engines of destruction, but in fact they ac­ final turning point, and that we have seen cumulated a store of knowledge which could be used for good or evil, he said. the last great war,1 unless some hothead in It was war which was wrong, not science. the future leads our descendants into the adventure of a campaign against Mars. “ The discovery of how to release atomic A Reciprocal Agreement.— The General energy is one more example, the most Electric Company, Schenectady, and the striking yet, that something very big is Westinghouse Electric Corporation have happening just now. entered into an agreement under which each company grants to the other a simple The command over nature given by non-exclusive licence under its lamp science is a discovery of the same magm patents and patent applications. August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN 221 Trade Relations with China Views of Chinese National Resources Commission in London HE British electrical industry’s pros­ ments to administer the various regions, T pects of capturing markets in China and over all there would be a central formerly dominated by Germany were dis­ board for the whole of China. They had cussed by a representative of T h e E l e c ­ already standardised a 50-cycle frequency t r i c i a n , on August 23, with Mr. Chen Yun, and voltages at 220 and 330 V. The head of a delegation of the Chinese higher voltages were 6.6 kV, 13.2 kV, National Resources Commission, who came 33 kV, 66 kV, 132 kV, and 220 kV. to this country on the “ Queen Mary ” Asked if the delegation proposed to place about ten days ago to study technical and any orders while in this country, Mr. Yun managerial improvements that have taken said they were merely making contacts place in British industry during the war and exchanging information, and not years, and to exchange information with making actual purchases. That was the the object of facilitating future trade re­ concern of the Chinese Government’s Pur­ lations between the two countries. Mr. chasing Commission, which has offices at Yun is managing director of the Central 21, Tothill Street, Westminster. If the Electrical Manufacturing Works in China, delegation wanted to make a purchase it which he described as “ very much like would go through the Purchasing Commis­ the General Electric Co. in this country.” sion. China needed a lot of electrical plant They manufacture wireless equipment, and equipment of which she was able to- cables, transformers, motors, lamps, tele­ manufacture only a very small portion. phone equipment, batteries, and so on, and They hoped to enter into technical colla­ have plants in many parts of free China. boration contracts later on, similar to one They are going to move forward into they had with British Insulated Cables occupied China later, Mr. Yun stated. before the war, which was being renewed. Another member of the delegation, which is representative of textile, chemical, mechanical and electrical engineering, métallurgie, economic and other interests, In Parliament is Mr. T. Y. Liu, representing the power plant side of the Chinese electrical industry. The following are replies to questions Since their arrival the delegation have asked recently in the House of Commons - been having talks with leaders of industry hvlustrial Research (Export Trade).— in London, and now they are visiting Man­ Replying to Sir Patrick Hannon, Mr. chester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Rugby, Herbert Morrison said the Government Sheffield, and other large industrial was fully aware of the need for pro­ centres, where they will study the latest moting the application of science in indus­ methods of production. try. The attention of the export industries had already been drawn to the facilities Britain’s Opportunity offered toy the Department of Scientific and Mr. Yun said that in China they did not Industrial Research. He did not propose manufacture any large electrical machines to publish a White Paper at this stage, or high-tension cables. All these had to but the hon. Member could rest assured be imported. Before the war, Germany that Parliament would be kept informed of was the predominant supplier of power any developments in the Government’s plant. Then came Great Britain, followed policy. _ by the U.S.A. and Switzerland. Electrical Battersea Power Station.—Mr. Douglas supplies were also imported from Japan. asked the Minister of Fuel and Power High-tension cables mostly came from whether he could make a statement as to Great Britain, and some from Germany. the present position of the application of Now was Great Britain’s opportunity to the London Power Co., Ltd., to the Elec­ take Germany’s place and provide China tricity Commissioners for consent to the with much-needed plant. further extension of the Battersea power Mr. Yun mentioned that the electrical station by the installation of 65 000 kW members of the delegation were to study generating plant . and associated boiler the functions of the Central Electricity plant. In rejily. Mr. Shinwell said there Board and the operation of the grid, m was no objection to the proposed further which they were keenly interested, because extension, subject to the observance of the a similar department was to be set up in same conditions in regard to gas washing China, though it would not be so as were imposed in connection with pre­ centralised because of the size of the vious extensions, and he had informed the country. There would be regional manage­ Electricity Commissioners accordingly. THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945 Electrical Personalities We are always glad to receive from readers ;ws of their social and business activities for publication in this page. Paragr )hs should be as brief as possible Mr. F. L. Sharp has resigned from the Manchester Electricity Committee has board of Vactric, Ltd. congratulated M r. J. C. Carr, distribution Mr. W. M. McKenzie has been appointed engineer, and Mr. W. Kidd, constructional assistant secretary of Bruce Peebles and engineer, on their having been awarded Co.. L td. premiums by the Council of the I.B.E. for Sir David Owen Evans, chairman of the technical papers read before that institu­ Council of the Copper Development Asso­ tion. ciation, left £84 762 (n.p. £68 922). A luncheon was given by the Associa­ Mr. Gordon Horridge Tasker, of tion of British Chambers of Commerce and Sheffield, director, Tasker’s Engineering the Federation of British Industries at the Co., L td., left £3 803 (net £3 724). Savoy- Hotel, London, on August 24, in Major C. V. Wattenbach, having been honour of the members of the Chinese released from the Army, will be joining the National Resources Commission. Those board of Dictograph Telephones, Ltd., as also present included Sir Frank Gill, Sir an active director on September 1. George Nelson and Lieut.-Colonel R. K. In consequence of the appointment of Mr. Morcom. J, A. Ogden as deputy chief engineer of the Mr. Chris Blackwell, elected vice-presi­ Oldham electricity undertaking, M r. C. A. dent of the Manchester and Salford Trades Cross, assistant mams engineer, becomes Council, is the first member of the Elec­ senior assistant, and Mr. H. W. Mellor has trical Trades’ Union to bo appointed to an been promoted assistant. official position on th e council. Aged 35, Mr. S. K. Reeves, who served throughout he is chief shop steward for the E.T.U., at the war with the R.A.F., as a technical the works of the Metropolitan-Vickers officer, has recently been released, and has Electrical Co., Ltd., Trafford Park, and re-joined the London sales staff of the vice-chairman of the works committee. Electric Construction Co., Ltd. Mr. A. G. Stewart has been elected Mr. A. G. L, Anderson, general manager chairman and general managing director of of the Shotley Bridge and Consett District- Stewarts and Lloyds, Ltd., and chairman Gas Co., Durham, has been appointed of the Stanton Ironworks Co., Ltd., to suc­ engineer and general manager of the ceed the late Sir Allan Macdiarmid. Mr. Bognor and District Gas and Electric Co. Stewart has been a director of Stewarts Mr. S. T. Pigott, a director and manag­ and Lloyds since 1931. In 1941 he was ing director, has resigned from the board appointed assistant general managing of Chadburn’s (Ship) Telegraph Co., Ltd. director in charge of tube and shell produc­ M r. D. C. Bamford and M r. R. S. Vidal- tion and a deputy-chairm an in 1943. Hall have been appointed directors. Sir Felix J. C. Pole entertained M r. Mr. Ellis Hunter, president-elect of the Philip D. Reed (chairman of the General British Iron and Steel.Federation, will now Electric Co., U.S.A.) at luncheon at succeed the late Sir Allan Macdiarmld as Claridge’s Hotel, London, on August 24. president of the federation. He is deputy - Among the other guests were Sir George chairman and managing director of Dor­ Bailev, Mr. I. R, Cox, Mr. C. L. Dalziel, man, Long and Co., Ltd. Mr. E. P. Grimsdick, Mr. R. H. Haviland, Mr. A. Gordon Gledhill, a student at Mr. Cyril E. Lloyd, Mr. D. MacArthur, Halifax Technical College, has won a Whit­ Mr. V. J. Radbone, Mr. Owen H. Smith worth Scholarship, First Class Honours and Mr. H. W. H. Warren. B.Se. (Eng.), London University, and First Following the retirement of M r. G. H . Class Final in the City and Guilds Exami­ Oldroyd, borough electrical engineer, nation for electrical engineering practice. Stockport, and the appointment of M r. Mr. A. J. C. MacLeod has resigned his W. R. Alcock to that position, it has been position of technical sales engineer with the decided not to appoint a deputy engineer Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd., for the time being, but- as a temporary in London, in order to take up a similar measure to create a new position, that of appointment with the London office of the assistant engineer, to he filled by M r. E. A. Electric Construction Co., Ltd. Gleaves, who lias been station superin­ Dr. G. E. Haefely has severed his con­ tendent. Mr. A. L. Hollinshead, senior nection with the Micanite and Insulators shift engineer, has been appointed assistant Co., Ltd., and relinquished his position station engineer. as chief engineer. We understand that Sir Hubert Houldsworth, who accepted Dr. Haefely intends to establish himself a-s the position of controller-general at the a consultant on plastics at 7, Glengall Ministry of Fuel and Power for the Road, Woodford Green, Essex. period of the war, has asked to be released August 31 j 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN from this post, and Mr. Shimvell has re­ tricitv Commissioners), representatives of luctantly agreed to his release. The ad­ the Power Companies’ Association, Central ministrative work at headquarters con­ London Electricity, Metropolitan Electric nected with the eoal control will now bo Supply Company, London Power Company, Mr. J'. R. Beard (Association of Consulting in charge of a controller, with the rank Engineers), Association of Supervising Elec­ of deputy secretary, working under the trical Engineers, Electric Construction permanent secretary of the Ministry. M r. Company,' Brush Electrical Engineering John Innes, who lias held executive posi­ Co , Ltd., Chloride Electrical Storage Co., tions with the Ministry of Fuel and Power Ltd. Institution of Electrical Engineers, since 1942, has been appointed to the post. Provincial Electric Supply Association, Sir Charles Reid lias been appointed os British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., City production and technical adviser and M r. and Guilds (England) College, and of the J. Armstrong os labour adviser. Among those who attended the memorial Junior Institution of Engineers. service for Mr. John Somerville Hlghfield, Obituary at St. Mary Abbots, Kensington, on Mr. J. A. E. Wells, a director of Edgar Friday, were Viscount Falmouth, Sir Harry Allen’and Co., Ltd., and a member of the Railing and Mr. Leslie Gamage (General Iron and Steel Institute and the Institute Electric Company), the Hon. Mrs. Gamage, of British Foundrymen, aged 59 years. Sir Montague Hughman, • Sir Leonard Pearce (London Power Company), Sir Mr. Robert Ferguson, for many years Archibald Page, Sir George Nelson, Mr. secretary and later a director of _ Kelvin A. L. Coward (partner, Highfield and Bottomley and Baird, Ltd., aged 75 years. Roger Smith), with officials and members He commenced as a clerk and became of the staff, Mr. V. Watlington (director of chief accountant in 1912. He completed the B.E.A.M.A.), Mr. Henry Nimrno (Elee- 50 vears’ service w ith the com pany in 1941.

Exhibition of Mining Machinery N exhibition of mining machinery, ar­ and a 7 5 h .p . flameproof resistance of the A ranged by the South Midland sub­ tubular type. branch of the Association of Mining Elec­ An earth leakage protection unit de­ trical and Mechanical Engineers, was lieid veloped for the ETJ switch fuse in com­ in the new centra) workshops of the Moira pliance with the draft regulations on sur­ Collierj' Co., Ltd., near Burton-on-Trent, face installations, has an interrupting capacity up to 25 MVA. The earth leakage on A ugust 16, 17 and 18. The stand of the British Thomson- trip is ’obtained by means of an explosive Houston Co., Ltd., was mainly devoted to cartridge and toggle mechanism, and has a selection of flameproof equipment for a standard sensitivity of 124 per cent. A use in mechanised mining, comprising ap­ typical flameproof Thrustor was shown, paratus made by the company and its and there was erected outside the exhibi­ associated company, the Metropolitan- tion building, a Thrustor-operated air-lock of novel design. Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd. As representative o I mining motors, a all-steel conveyor motor, and a general purpose mining motor, were shown, hut most of the available space "'as devoted to recent develop­ ments. There was a display of gate-end control gear con­ sisting of an automatic gate- end box for control of eoal cutters and conveyors, up to 60 h . p . ; a 150 A section switch; a 21 kVA lighting transformer unit; and a high frequency double drill sup­ ply unit. Examples of flame­ proof general-purpose con­ trol gear comprised 74 and 10 n.p. direct-on-line contactor starters, a 6 h . p . self-con­ B.T.-H. stand at the Moira colliery exhibition tained haulage control unit 224 THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945 News in Brief Aluminium Exhibition.— An exhibition of demanding a deposit being retained in presented by the aluminium industry, was any particular case. opened at Lewis’s Stores, Birmingham, on Lighting in Dundee.—At a recent meet­ Tuesday, and will continue until Septem­ ing of the Police and Lighting Committee, . ber 15. The object of th e exhibition is it was agreed that Dundee’s contribution to demonstrate the wide scope for alu­ to fuel economy would be to reduce the minium and its alloys in housing, interior wattage of electric lamps in the city' by decoration, furnishing and domestic appli­ half. This economy will result in the sav­ ances, and in shipping and transport. ing of about 7 000 tons of coal. Trolley-bus Scheme.—R epresentatives of Oldham Domestio Appliance Sales.— the Oldham Electricity' Committee are to at­ ft was reported at a meeting of the Elec­ tend a meeting of the tricity Committee local Passenger Trans­ that sales of appli­ port Committee to ances during the past state the case for the TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO month were to the introduction of trol­ r?RO M The Electrician of value of £1 999 and ley-buses. JO A ugust 27 th, 1920: I t is an­ included 11 cookers, Blackburn Exhibi­ nounced that a working agree­ 3 wash-boilers, 83 tion. — It is an­ ment has been made by the vacuum cleaners, 15 nounced that the American Telephone and Tele- fires, 2 kettles, 7 irons, “ Electricity Looks qraph, and the General Electric 2 tubular heaters, 1 Forward ” exhibition Companies of America, for the w ater-heater, 51 described in last mutual use of all patents of scien­ lamps and 780 mis­ week’s issue of tific secrets. According to Mr. cellaneous items. T h e Electrician, II. B. Thayer, president of the Scottish Street was attended by General Electric Co., the world Lighting.—In view 12 000 persons. system of the Radio Universal of the fact that street Institution Instal­ service and the Bell system will lighting in Edinburgh lations.—The W est facilitate the use by the public of and in Glasgow has Sussex Health Com­ wireless linked up with the tele­ not been reverted to mittee is considering pre-war standard, it a proposal by the phone. The service is to be ex­ tended to ships at sea, Europe is unlikely that there County Architect for and foreign countries. The ar­ will bo any further the installation of curtailment of light­ electric cooking rangements will also make it pos­ sible for several conversations to ing in the cities, as a equipment at Alding- result of the Govern­ bourne House institu­ take place on the same wire \ simultaneously. ment’s appeal for tion at a cost of £333, national economy. In and meanwhile the Glasgow the 'street Committee has autho­ lighting has been so rised the hire of a large electric cooker as a cut down that £50 000 per year is being temporary expedient. saved. Scientific Research in South Africa.— Victory Lighting.—Part of the Victory An outline of the general intentions of the celebrations in Birkenhead has been a series Government in setting up the South Afri­ of decorative electrical illuminations in can Council of Scientific and Industrial Hamilton Square. The town consumption Research has been given by Brig. B. J. of electricity during the first week of the Schonland, President-elect of the Council, illuminations was lower than the week be­ in a memorandum to the Federated Cham­ fore. It is surmised that people left their ber of Industries, in which he asks the homes to see the brilliance of the Town help of industry' to make the Council effec­ Hall and Hamilton Square, and thus saved tive by means of the further development the domestic usage of electricity'. of South Africa’s resources. Gainsborough ~ R.E.M.E. — I t is Watford Deposit System.—At a meet­ announced that the R.E.M.E. mainten­ ing of the Electricity Committee the Elec­ ance school at Gainsborough may be con­ trical Engineer reported upon the war­ tinued as a regular defence unit. During time practice of requiring new domestic its four years’ existence the school has consumers to pay deposits, and stated that trained 9 662 experts on radiolocation, in his view this was not now necessary. 2 053 on guns, 2 760 on motor vehicles, The Borough Treasurer agreed, and the 1 074 on instruments, 1 287 on electrical Committee decided that the deposit sys­ devices and 276 on special equipment. tem for domestic consumers, as a general Many of the men trained at the school have rule, he abolished, subject to the power now gone into television factories. August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN Electricity Supply Middlesbrough.—Sanction lias been re­ Scottish Hydro-electric Scheme.— I t is ceived iby the T.C. to borrow £2 500 for announced that the Tummel-Garry (and electric mains and services. Gairloch) hydro-electric scheme has been Rawtenstall.—The Electricity Committee confirmed by the Secretary of State for has obtained sanction to borrow £16 659 Scotland in an order presented to Parlia­ for protective equipment, etc. ment. The £6 450 000 project can be Stockton-on-Tees.—Electricity is to be started after the scheme has lain before supplied by the T.C. to prospective indus­ Parliament for 40 days, provided that the trial sites in Dog Hill Farm Lane at £600. confirming order is not meanwhile annulled Darlington. — Application has been by resolution of either House. made to the Electricity Commissioners to Aberdeen.—In the annual report, Mr. A. borrow £438 for extending electricity mains Gardner, city electrical engineer, states that to the temporary housing site in Burnside the deficit on the year’s working of £ 17 040, R oad. was almost entirely due to the action of Scarborough.—The Electricity Commit­ the Ministry of Fuel and Power .in in­ tee is to provide a siib-station at Valley creasing the price of coal without giving Bridge and extend the Filey sub-station permission to make a corresponding in­ for housing on-load tap-changing trans­ crease in the electricity charges. The formers. increase in total output over the war years Clltheroe.—The Electrical Engineer has was 17.8 per cent., while the increase for been authorised to give a supply of cur­ industrial power alone was only 7.59 per rent to Gisiburn Hall and Tower House at cent. The figures for the country as a a cost of £1 954, the owner undertaking whole up to 1943-44 showed that the total to contribute to the cost. output had increased by 53 iper cent., and South Shields.— The T.C. is to instal a for industrial power by 931 Per cent. The 1 500 kVA transformer at the sub-station power figures clearly indicated neglect of in Quay Lane in place of the present 600 Aberdeen as a manufacturing centre—for kVA transformer, which is insufficient to which there might be good security reasons meet demands. in war-time—but they also showed the Billingham-on-Tees.—The North-Eastern unfortunate position of the city, which was Electric Supply Co., Ltd., is being asked not scheduled as a development area under by the U.C. 'to expedite the supply of the Distribution of Industry Bill, in rela­ electricity to the village of Cowpen Bew- tion to those other areas where the war­ ley. The company plans to lay cables from time factories which had caused these the North Tees Power Station to the New­ spectacular rises would no doubt shortly port Bridge. be available for ordinary peace-time activi­ Scarborough.— The Housing Committee ties. has agreed to reimburse the Electricity Eastbourne.—Schemes for a five years’ Committee in respect of any debt outstand­ electrical plan, which were submitted by ing on the laying of electric mains to tem­ the Borough Electrical Engineer and porary houses which may become redun­ Manager last May, were considered at a dant in the event of the houses being re­ recent meeting of the Electricity Commit­ moved at a later date. tee. In 1945/46 the estimated expendi­ Manchester.—The Electricity Committee, ture is £48 589, of which £35 000 is for when considering a proposal to reblade land, and the remainder divided between No. 1 turbo-generator at Barton power sta­ sub-station buildings and equipment, tion, received a report from the Chief £;1 700 and £3 468, respectively, mains Engineer and Manager embodying the fol­ and services £4 531, m eters £1 500, and lowing particulars: Turbo-generator first consumers’ apparatus £2 390. In 1940'47 p u t into commission June 22, 1823, units the proposed land expenditure is £300, generated up to date 2 233 957 000; hours sub-station ¡buildings, £1 250, arid sub­ stations’ equipment £1 200, mains and run, 111 067. services, £12 132, m eters, £6 000, con­ O ldham .—The annual report of the elec­ sumers’ apparatus £12 207 and transport tricity undertaking for the year to March vehicles £698, making a total of £33 787. 31 last, records a net surplus of £34 767 For 1947/48 the proposed allocation for on the sale of 123 880 000 units (excluding designated war factories), compared with land is £750, buildings £10 000, equipment £2 000, sub-station ¡buildings £5 200, sub­ 124 022 000 units for previous year. The station equipment, £2 400, mains and ser­ fall in the power sales had been practi- callv neutralised by the combined increases vices £16 200, meters, £6 150, consumers of private lighting and domestic 6ales. apparatus, £14 140, and transport Despite increases in wages, coal and mate­ vehicles, £885. The amount required for land in 1948 / 9 is £850, £54 000 for build­ rials, there had been no increase in the ings, £2 500 for sub-station buildings, charges to consumers. 226 THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945

£2.450 lor sub-station equipment, £19 750 war increases in the cost of coal, labour for mains and services, £6 350 lor meters; and lamp replacements. Coal had risen consumers’ apparatus, £16 464, and trans­ from £1 per ton to approximately 50s. per port vehicles, £4 102. For 1949/50 the ton; the wages of public lighting attend­ estimated amount, required for land is ants had been increased by 33 per cent; £950, equipment, £3 000, suib-station and purchase tax had inflated the cost of buildings £2 500, sub-station equipment certain types of lamps. The street lighting £3 700, mains and services £26 793, meters running costs were made up almost wholly £6 600, consumers’ apparatus, £19 781, of the bare costs of energy, labour and and transport vehicles £602. The estimate lamp renewals, so that war increases had was approved by the Committee. a more marked effect on public lighting Wood Green (London).—At a meeting than on domestic and commercial tariffs for o i the Highways Committee the Town Clerk electricity supply, which included a pro­ submitted a letter from the Northmet portion of fixed charges not altered by Power Co. intimating that during the sus­ the war. As soon as prices became reason­ pension of normal street lighting it had ably stabilised it was its intention to offer considered it unnecessary to make any revised public lighting charges for a long adjustments in its charges for the service term contract. In the meantime it asked as all payments other than “ black-out the Council to agree to the application of charges ” had been in abeyance. The adjustment clauses to the pre-war running charges for the limited amount of public charges, providing for an increased pay­ lighting, bollards and signs, were increased ment to the company to cover the higher by 12£ per cent, in 1941. How th a t the running costs with effect from Jan. 1, 1946. resumption of unrestricted lighting was The Committee recommended such varia­ approaching, the company had been com­ tion involving an increase in the cost by pelled to investigate the present effects of 23 per cent.

Contracts Open E give below the latest information Birmingham Electric Supply Depart­ W regarding contracts for which tenders ment, September 12.—Supply and delivery are invited. In the case of overseas con­ during the period ending September 30, tracts, particulars are to be had from the 1946, of electric kettles, saucepans, cookers, Department of Overseas Trade, Millbank, wash-boilers, circulator water heaters, London, S.W.I (comer Horseferry Road), cooker control units and circulator control unless otherwise stated. units. Specifications from Mr. F. W. Lawton, 14, Dale End, Birmingham 4. Brighouse T.C., August 31.—Supply and Brierfield U.D.C., September 20.— delivery of two 300 kVA transformers and Supply, delivery and placing into position, two sets of e.h.t. switchgear. Specifica­ of two 250 kVA three-phase 6 600/400 V tions from the Electrical Engineer, Hud­ transformers. Specification from Mr. N. dersfield Road, Brighouse. Ashton, “ Electricity House,” Colne Road, Glasgow Lighting Department, August Brierfield; deposit, £1 Is. 31.—Supply of 500 lanterns for 300/1 500 Brierfield U.D.C., September 20.— W electric lamps. Specifications from the Supply, delivery and erection of 6 600 V Lighting Department, 20, Trongate, C.l. metal-clad switchgear. Specification from West Riding Standing Joint Committee, Mr. N. Ashton, “ Electricity House,” September 1.—Electrical work in connec­ Colne Road, Brierfield; deposit, £1 Is. tion with adaptations at the West Riding North of Scotland Hydro-electric Board, Constabulary Headquarters, Wakefield. October 15.—Supply, delivery and erection Specifications from the West Riding of 132 000 V transmission lines. Speci­ Architect, County Hall, Wakefield. fication from Mr. T. Lawrie, 16, Rothsay Terrace, Edinburgh, 3; deposit. £5 5s. West Riding C.C., September 5.—Instal­ lation of heating and domestic hot water Overseas services at new dental clinic, Bonegate Eire Electricity Supply Board, Decem­ House, Brighouse. Specifications from the ber 14.—-Civil construction work in connec­ West Riding Architect, County Hall, tion with the hydro-electric development W akefield. of the River Erne, Co.Donegal, including, Lochgelly B.C., September S.—Electric (1) Power development at Cathaleen’s Falls, lighting installations in connection with 42 for installation of about 40 000 kW ; (2) houses to complete the Lumphinnans Road power developm ent a t Cliff for installation housing scheme. Particulars from the of 10 000 kW. Particulars from Mr. P. J. Burgh Surveyor, Town House, Lochgelly; Dempsey, Electricity Supply Board, 60/62, deposit, £2 2s. Upper Mount Street, Dublin; deposit, £21. 227 August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN Industrial Information year, and as the chairman of the company New Industry at Bolton.—C. and D. has publicly announced, has considerably Electrical (Appliances), Ltd., have taken improved the power station efficiency. In over a three-storey factory covering 7 000 a despatch just received from Queensland, sq. ft., at Bolton, for the manufacture ot it is announced that the directors of the commercial and domestic appliances, includ­ Brisbane company propose to affix to the ing electric irons, fires, househo.d lighting machine.: a plate inscribed as follows : fittings, and fluorescent fight ing equipment. “ This machine is a tribute to British In the near future the firm is hoping to steadfastness and courage. British work­ produce radio and television sets men made it while Britain was being ruth­ Easing the Fuel Situation.— Electricity lessly bombed; and in 1941 British seamen undertakings in Scotland are now being carried it to us through many perils. > En given priority for coal supplies in order route they brought succour to Malta.” to build up adequate reserves against the World’s Largest Cable Ship.—Electrical advent of the winter. Gasworks were equipment, manufactured by the British earlier given priority, and with the start­ Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., will drive the ing of an electrical programme along the complete cable-laying and repairing same lines, the fuel position in these two machinery on the world’s largest cable ship industries in Scotland has been somewhat “ Monarch,” recently launched on the assisted. Electricity plants have been Tyne. This equipment includes two 200 in very serious straits for some time past kW turbo-generators, tw o 100 kW genera­ which makes the present development the tors driven by Diesel engines, switchboard, more satisfactory. and motor and control gear for the whole Fluorescent Lighting on the G.W.R.— of the cable laying machinery, operating Reference was made in a recent issue to the on the “ constant current ” system. This fluorescent lighting which the Great Western provides “ steam engine ” stalling and re­ Railway intend to instal in their new versing characteristics on the motors, en­ coaches. The system has been developed abling them to develop appreciably by the British Thomson-Houston Co., who constant torque at any speed down to supplied the equipment for a trial instal­ standstill. This torque can also bo main­ lation. Power is taken from the existing tained should the load reverse the motor, lighting set and battery, which feed a under which condition “ dynamic braking” motor-alternator set, generating at a fre­ is obtained. Special generators are not quency of 400 cycles. The reason for the necessary, Amplidyne exciters being used, choice of this frequency depends on a so that the same generating plant may be number of factors, but one of the advan­ used either for constant current or constant tages is the reduction in weight and size voltage operation. of gear as compared with that which would Company’s Return to London.— The he required on a normal 50 cycle upply. The registered and head office of W. T. Owners of Property in Germany. The Henley’s Telegraph Works Co., Ltd., will interests of United Mat ions owners of pro­ perty in Germany are being safeguarded by be transferred hack to London as from Monday, September 3, to the following a special department (Property Control address :—51-53, Hatton Garden, London, far as British owners are concerned, all E.C.l. Telephone: Chancery 6822 (20 Branch) of the Control Commission. As communications should he addressed to the lines); Telegrams: Henletel, Smith, Lon­ Trading with the Enemy Department, 24, don. Henley’s previous premises in Hol- born Viaduct were totally destroyed by Kingsway, W.C. Owners of property in enemy action. The Hatton Garden pre­ Germany should already have made a re­ turn in regard to such property to this mises* are not large enough to accommo­ Department. As information becomes date the whole of their staff, and certain available, individual owners will be noti­ departments will, for the time being, con­ fied in regard to the condition of their tinue to operate from Milton Court, Dork­ ing. Correspondence may, therefore, property; but at present no enquiries by interested parties as to the state of specific be received from • either address, and properties in Germanv can be dealt with it would be helpful if replies were sent to the address given on the letter- hv the Trading with the Enemy Depart- paper. In case of doubt, communications should be sent to the head office at Hatton A Tribute from Brisbane.— The 25 000 Garden. All enquiries and orders should kW turbo-alternator built by Parsons and Co.. Ltd., during the war for installation be addressed to Hatton Garden, where comprehensive stocks of rubber insulated at the Bulimba power station of the City Electric Light Company, Ltd., Brisbane, wires, cables and flexible cords, distribu­ Queensland, has now been in service for a tion accessories, etc., are available. 228 THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945 Company News Davis and Timmins Ltd.—Intm. cliv. (£46 586), lvg. pft. £62 880 (£63 396). To 1 0 % (s a m e ) . div. 8% (same) £42 465 (£38 926), fwd. W. Canning and Co. Ltd.—Intm. div. £79 348 (£58 933). 5%, payable Sept. 13. (same). Kirk Electrical Industries, Ltd.— Clyde V alley E lectrical Power- Co .-— P rivate co. reg. Aug. 10. Cap. £2 500 in Intm. div. on ord. 3%, less tax (same), 2 500 shs. of £1 each. To carry on the busi­ payable Sept. 22. ness of wholesale and retail factors and sales Cawnpore Electric Supply Corpora­ agents in lightingheating, cooking, power and t i o n L t d . —Pubn. of accts. still prohibited. other electrical units, fittings and equip­ Mtg. Orient House, New Broad St., E.C., ment, motor and other lamps, wireless Sept. 3. and television goods, etc. Reg. office, 16- W est London and Provincial Electric 24, Fulford Street, S.E.16. and General Trust.- —In tm . ,2 % o n ord. Electrolux Corpn. (of America).—Net (same), less tax, payable Oct. 1 to holders pft. three mos. to June 30 $233 645, after reg. Sept. 7. all chgs., incldg. estimated taxes and re- Kalgoorlie Electric Power and negotiatn., equiv. to 19 cents a sh. on L i g h t i n g . —Total rev. for 1944, £27 267 1 237 500 shs. Com. (corres. 1944 period (£33 682) and pft. £25 500 (£31 578), fwd. $161 122 and 13 cents). Net. pft. six mos. £9 405 (£9 727). ended June 30, after all chgs. incldg. taxes Leyland and Birmingham Rubber Co., and re-negotn. $517 942, equiv. to 42 cents L t d . —Net pft. for 1944/45, is announced a sh. ($238 419 and 19 cents). as £104 968 (£101 524). Fin. div. 7£%, Commonwealth Edison (and subsid. and bonus 2£% (both same), less tax, mkg. cos.).—Operatg. rev. yr. to June 30 121%. $191 002 515 ($186 185 661). To operatg. Lacrinoid Products Ltd. —Dirs. an ­ exes. and taxes $157 093 502 nounce that, owing to the work and ex­ ($151 395 896), lvg. net operatg. income pense involved in the payment of intm. $33 909 013 ($34 789 765). Gross' income divs,, they have decided to discontinue $34 987 218 ($35 851 936). Net. deductns. the practice forthwith. This change does $11 904 535 ($13 210 666), lvg. cons, net not imply that there will toe any altera­ income $23 082 6S3 (S22 641 270). tion in the rate of div. for the current yr. Bristol Industries Ltd. —Co. has Head W rigiitson and Co . L t d . —P fts. changed its financial year from Oct. 31 to for yr. to Apr. 30, £228 899 (£24 616 in­ Mar. 31. It has now issued its results crease). Fees, interest, deprecn. and for the five mos. to Mar. 31, 1945. They taxatn. absorb about 90%, leavg a net pft. show a pft. of £50 507, net div., etc.. of £26 149 (£21 533). Pref. div. £5 074 and £7 246, mkg. £57 753 (£115 937 for yr.). ord. £9 450 (both same). Res. receives Deprecn. is allocated £1 359, war damage £10 000 (£5 000), and £32 881 (£31 256) is £56, taxatn. £35 000, and pref. div. (Jive carried fwd. mos.) £5 417. Fw d. £7 693 (£8 774). Fisher and Ludlow Ltd.—Yr’s pfts. to American W ater W orks and Electric. Mar. 31, increased by £8 488 to £726 651. —Consd. gross earngs. vr. to June 30 Dirs.’ remuneratn. takes £6 626 (£6 460), .$7 9 403 897 ($76 671 919). P ft. before deprecn. £99 497 (£117 493), and taxatn. tax adjust. $2 S83 444 (S2 426 125). Tax £508 000 (£496 000), leavg. a net pft. credit $1 599 082 (SI 438 582). N et pft. £112 528 (£10S 210). Pref. div. takes $4 4S2 526 ($3 864 707). E arned per sh. £7 000, staff fund receives £5 000. Gen. res. on 2 343 105 com. (after prefd. divs.) $1.40 £5 52S (£50 000). Fwd. £101 315 (S I .14). Prefd. divs. SI 199 406 (£51 315). ($1 200 000), balce. for com. $3 2S3 120 Cowans Sheldon and Co. Ltd. —Tradg. ($2 664 707). pft. t-o June 30, £82 297 (£94 059), interest, United R iver Plate Telephone. —Gross etc., £722 (£702), mkg. £83 019 (£94 761). rev. for 1944 £ 5 40S 753 (£5 125 875), To dirs.’ fees £600 (same), deprecn. £5 467 less workg. exes. £3 911 042 (£3 714 018), (£5 590), tax res. £50 500 (£66 000), pen­ deb. int. £393 255 (£401 782) exch. ad- sions £1 S45 (£1 '362),-lvg. n et p ft. £24 606 justmts. £5 749 (£18 627). Cap. re- (£18 161). Div. 10% £15 000 (same), to demptn. £35 755 (£33 979), misc. charges genl. res. £9 000 (£3 000), fwd. £56 979 £16 860 (£16 625). Add realised appraisal (£56 373). incremt. £170 496 (£173 0S9), brot. in Richardsons W estgarth Ltd.— Tradg. £3 603 953 (£3 014 941), final div. 2% pft. to Mar. 31 (after tax and deferred re­ (3%), mkg. 7% (6%), fwd. £4 182 141. pairs), £121 235 (£118 009), other income Engineering and Lighting Equipment £3 364 (£4 472), mkg. £124 599 (£122 481). Co., L t d . —-Tradg. pft. for yr. to Mar. 31, To dirs.’ fees £2 400 (£3 267), bank int. £46 254, £15 039 increase. Fees and war £3 600 (£3 136), deprecn. £55 719 damage take £980 (£S63), taxatn. £7 918 August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN 229

(£7 123) and E .P .T . res. £16 000 (£1 775), from the more prosaic radio communica­ leavg. net ipft. £21 357 (£21 454). Divs. tions side of war, he said, their equip­ absorb £13 581 (£45 928), :pref. redem ptn. ment, in the form of transmitters and re­ and accrued div. £9 367 (£9 140). Final ceivers, went through the whole campaign ord. div. 5% makes 8% against 6%, from El Alamein to Berlin. The peace­ mkg. 10%. 'Bice, of £304 (£528) earned time application of radiolocation, after the company’s long experience in research, fw d. •Mexican Light and Power. ■— Co. dev dopmerit and manufacture, _ opened announces in connectn. with its 5% sec. new avenues of expansion in their mortg. 50-yr. deb. and 6% cum. inc. deb. industry in which the possibilities were stk. that, in accordance with re- great. The interests of their subsidiary, quiremts. of the Canadian Custodian Sterling Cable Co., Ltd., were confined to of Enemy Property, Canadian Form “ G ” the production of light cables and flexibles must accompany all requests for transfer insulated with rubber, rubber substitute or de-registratn. of dob. stk. These forms and synthetic materials, and their produc­ can be Obtained from the English agents tion for the Armed Forces had exceeded and registrars, the Canadian and General 50 million core yards a year since the com­ mencement of the war. The heavier types Finance Co. of paper insulated cables made by their Aeroplane and M otor Aluminium Cast­ subsidiary, Lancashire Cables, Ltd., had i n g s L t d . —Tradg. p it. for 1942-43 (after played their part all over the world in E.P.T.) was £36 073, less dirs.’ fees £350, carrying the current from generating sta­ deprecn. £13 934, war damage £596, lvg. tions under most arduous conditions. The n e t p it. £21 193. To inc.-tax £12 500, div. future of their cable interests was indeed 10% £5 000, fwd. £19 885 (£16 192). very promising. Tradg. p it. 1943-44 (incldg. £5 000 E .P .T . Engineering and Lighting Equipment Tepavable) was £35 359, less dirs.’ fees Co., L t d . —The annual meeting was held £350', deprecn. £13 119, w ar damage £562, in London on August 27. In the statement lvg. net pft. £21 328. To inc.-tax £13 000, circulated with the report and accounts, div. 5% £2 500, fwd. £25 713 (£19 885). the chairman, Mr. S. A. Marples, said that Anglo Portuguese Telephone Co. L t d . during the war period the works had been —Subscribers’ rentals, etc., amounted to producing over 300 assorted pattern £561 683 for 1944 (£537 235). W ith sales, articles for the Admiralty, in addition to removals, etc., £14 199 (£13 043), the yr’s. a considerable number of special items rev. is £575 882, increase of £25 604. which generally were required in small Operatg. exes., deprecn., royalties, and (Continued on page 230.) tax atn . absorb £488 610 (£464 192), and Bds’. remuneratn. £5 068 (£4 004), leavg. net rev. £82 204 (£82 082). Deb. service Metal Prices takes £31 982 (£32 041), and net pft. is Monday, August 27. £52 338 (£52 126), and carry fwd., £39 600 Copper— Price. Inc. Dec. (£39 237). Best Selected (nom.) per ton £60 10 0 — — Electro Wirebars ... „ £62 0 0 — — American Telephone and Telegraph.— H.O. Wires, basis ... per lb. 9 ^ d . — — Operatg. rev. 3 mos to June 30 Sheet ...... M Iliad* — — S60 341 000 (corres. period 1944 Phosphor Bronte— Wire(Telephone)basIs „ Is. 0&d. — $57 380 771). N et oper. income $6 034 000 Brass (60/40)— i$5 910 985). Div. income $41 525 000 Bod, basis ,, — — — ($39 759 535), n et income $43 054 000 Sheet „ ...... M — •— — Wire ...... „ 1 1 jd. — — ($40 650 516), per sh. $2.18 ($2.13). Divs. Iron and Steel— $44 391 000 ($42 848 306). Operatg. rev. Pig Iron (E. Coast Bell System $475 587 091 ($438 904 519). Hematite No. 1)... per ton £7 13 6 — — Q alvanised Steel W i re N et oper. inc. $54 505 365 ($53 160 226). (Cable Armouring) Net inc. $46 021 791 ($42 660 204), per basis 0.104 in. ... „ £28 5 0 — — sh. American Telephone stk. $2.25 ($2.16). Mild Steel Tape (Cable Armouring) basis 0.04 in. ... „ £20 0 0 — . — Company Meetings Galvanised SteelWire A. C. Cossor Ltd. —At the annual meet­ No. 8 S.W.G. ... £26 0 0 — — Lead Pig— ing held in London on August 22, Mr. English ...... », £31 10 0 — — T. A. Macaulay, the chairman, said that Foreign or Colonial „ £30 0 0 * — — in the field of receiving equipment for Tin—— Ingot (minimum of radiolocation the company was the first 99.9% purity) ... „ £303 10 0 — — commercial organisation in this country, Wire, basis...... per lb. 3s. lOd. — — end indeed the world, to be called ujaon Aluminium Ingots ... per ton £85 0 0 — — Spelter...... », £31 5 0 — — when an anxious Government was seeking Mercury (spot) Ware­ the best means of preparing defences. Lest house ...... per bott. £69 15 0 - — the publicity .given recently to some aspects Prices of galvanised steel wire and steel tape supplied by th* of radiolocation tend to divert attention O.M.A. Other metal prices by B.I. Callender’s Cables L td. THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945 quantities. They had built 55 main con­ and calling for over 40 000 000 components. trolling switchboards for capital ships, Continuous research, the anticipation of cruisers and other large craft; over 23 000 public requirements in illuminating and electrical junction and distribution boxes; other lines, both for the domestic and the more than 215 000 switches in a range of large export fields which are. opening up, sizes; 20 000 searchlight and other resist­ should keep the company busy for some ances ; quantities of indicating and signall­ time and heLp satisfactorily to bridge the ing gear and other apparatus, amounting in transition stage when war controls are the aggregate to over 325 000 assemblies eased and labour is made available. Commercial Information Mortgages and Charges vice,” electrical dealer. Claims to bo sent by September 3, 1945, to the Trustee, isIOTE-— The Companies Act of 1908 provides that every Mortgage or Ciiarge shall be registered unthtn Mr. Rudolf Kynoch Clark, Somerset House, 2 1 days after its creation, and that every company 37, Temple Street, Birmingham 2, Official shall, in its annual summary, specify the total amount Receiver. of debt due from it in respect of mortgages or charges. The following mortgages and charges have been County Court Judgments registered. The total debt prior to the present creation, N o t e . — The publication of extracts from the as shown in the annual summary, is given—marked “ Registry of County Court Judgments ” does no. with an *—followed by the dale of the summary, but imply inability to pay on the part of the persons named. such total may have been reduced. M any of the judgments m ay have been settled between M ansfield Relay Re-Diffusion Co. the parties or paid. Registered judgments are not necessarily fo r debts. They m ay be actions. B ut the L t d . London E.C.—July 30, deb., to Registry makes no distinction. Judgments are not Barclays Bank Ltd. securing all moneys returned to the Registry if satisfied in the Court books due or to become due to the Bank; general within 2 1 days. charge. Greenwood, V. (male), 262, Newhall Newcastle and District Electric Road, Attercliffe, Sheffield, electrical en­ Lighting Co. Ltd. —July IS, deed of gineer. £69 18s. Ju ly 4. further variation, supplemental to a deb. B r o w n , Fredk. L ., 45, Park Road, Wall- dated January 9, 1939, and deed of varia­ send, electrical engineer. £21 19s. Sd. tion dated January 11, 1940, extending Ju ly 5. date of repayment and reducing the rate of V ickers-Jones, S. J. (married woman), interest payable from 4 per cent, to 3 per 2, Park Road, Moseley, precision engineer. cent., to Prudential Assurance Co. Ltd.; £18 13s. 9d. Ju n e 25. general charge. *£350 000. April 6, 1945. Company Winding Up P. Hodges and Co . L t d . Nottingham, Chipping N orton Electric Supply Co . engineers.—August- 3, mort. and charge, L t d . (In voluntary liquidation).—A general to Midland Bank Ltd., securing all moneys meeting of the members of the above due or to become due to the Bank; charged named company will be held at 24-30, on Standard-Machine Works, Wells Road, Gillingham Street, Westminster, London, Nottingham, with machinery. and.-fixtures, S .W .l, on Septem ber 17, 1945, a t 10.30 also general .charge. *£3 000. Feb. 14, a.m. to receive the account of the Liqui­ 1945. dator. Richard C. Gibbins and Co . L t d . B ir­ mingham, engineers.—July 31, deb., to Lloyds Bank Ltd., securing all moneys,duo COMING EVENTS or to become due to the Bank; general Saturday, September 1; charge. I.E.E., N.E. STUDENTS’ SECTION—Visit to Satisfactions the shipbuilding yard of R. and W. Hawthorn Leslie and Co., Ltd. Party meet Ellison P. Hodges and Co. Ltd., Nottingham, Street, Hebburn. S.S0 p .m . engineers®—Sat’ns. August 3, of mort. reg. Oct.' 27, 1938, and of charge reg. May 30, Tuesday, September 4. COVENTRY ELECTRIC CLUB.—O pen F o ru m on 1930. " The Future of the Electrical Industry.” Smart and. Brown (Engineers), Ltd. "Supply,” F. W. Godden; "Contracting and (formerly .Smart, and Brown (Tool­ Installation.” G. S. Nott; “ Retailing and makers) Ltd.), Bingley.—Sat’n. Aug. 9, Marketing,” G. R. Marson; "M anufacturing,” £10 500, reg. May 31, 1939: X. M. H ill. Saturday, September 8, Notice of Intended Dividend . A.M.E. AND M.E.. (YORKSHIRE N.W. BRANCH!: T r e w , Donald Archibald McDonald, 3 6 , —Presidential Address. J. M. Langley.: . ASSOCIATION OF . SUPERVISING ELECTRICAL Binley Avenue, Binley, Coventry-, lately ENGINEERS (CREWE AND DISTRICT- BRAHCII):— carrying on business at 59,. Primrose Hill North ■ Stafford'. Hotel. Stohe-on-Trent, s Street,' .Coventry, as .‘f Trew,Electrical SeV- " Switchseat.^Protection” A. Lightbourne. August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN xxi

i^Jiodern fixing methods are de­ manded in these days of scientific advancement • Comparative costs

indicate RAWLPLUG FIXING DEVICES superiority over any other known method • One RAWLPLUG operation elimin­ ates necessity for making good by bricklayer, plasterer, and painter . Over 4,000,000 RAWLPLUG FIXING DEVICES leave our London factory each week, apart from many other fixing devices and accessories • Your problems, simple or complex, can be referred to our technical staff

who will gladly co-operate.

Rawlplugs, Rawldrills, Rawltools, Rauilbolts, Rawldrives, Rawlplastic, While Bronze Plugs, Bole Anchors, Screw /ä5?,/wrfe. Sockets, Boring Tools, Tile Drills, EM ^ 'C Hammers, Mechanical Hammers, Soldering Irons, Toggle Bolts and. m any products ol Commercial and Domestic utility, write Jor Technical Literature.

»„» 1««..... "I r u in .Davies i THE RAWLPLUG CO. LTU., ¡OMWELL ROAD, LONDON, S.W.7. Phone FRObishcr 8 m Grams RAWLPLUGS, SOUTH KENS. xxii THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945

------Y STREAM-LINE FILTERS keep insulating oils CONSTANTLY AT PEAK EFFICIENCY

The occasional circulation of the oil in a transformer through a Stream-Line filter will ensure full insulating qualities at all tim es. Batches of carbonised switch oil can be readily delivered in condition equal to new . The filter is simple—compact— portable —and of unrivalled efficiency. A s k a User!

WRITE FOR DETAILS TO-DAY

Model N19X —50 g.p.h. S t tecini-cj—uie ÎT'dt e t a jß tl Others avail* able from 5 to 450gallons HELE-SHAW WORKS, INGATE PLACE, LONDON, S.W.8 p a r h o u r. ______J

T p m it Li ___ REGISTERED ■ B fl TRADE-MARK

STRONG ROOM FOR MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY.» RESISTANCES Problem was 'to give maximum FOR LABORATORY AND TEST-ROOM storage accommodation for archives, etc., leaving space re­ Yoa cannot buy better quired for" inner sanctum” marked "A’, on c rawing*. Drawings show steps taken by '‘Will Stormer ” to obtain best possible layout and final schemewhichwas adopted

Illustrating latest Jesign Type B embodying patented improvements

Zenith Resistances of proved durability are in constant usa and are giving every satisfaction in all parts of the world Why notlet,,W¡IIStormor', • CATALOGUE OS REQUEST plan your storage occom . Unequalled Service modation with equal c a re?

THE ZENITH ELECTRIC CO., LTD. Soit Makers of the well-known "Z enith" Electrical Products ZENITH WORKS, VILLIERS ROAD WILLESDEN GREEN, LONDON, N.W. 2 Pham: W|LJe»den 4087-8-9 Gram»: ** VolteoKm. Pbon*. London “ Over 60 World Patents and Protection. • J.GLOYER & SONS LTD,, 51/37 Groton Rd., London, S.W.18. August 31, 1945 xxni

F o r more than five yeax's all the energies of STERLING have been de­ voted to the manufacture and supply of reliable flexible cables for the fulfilment of the urgent needs of the Services and War Industries. Soon, we hope, we shall be able to give you the benefit of our research, experi­ ence and: production in filling every peacetime domestic need. In the meantime however, orders are still, subject to t h e approval of the Cable Planning Officer.

All ST ER LIN G Cables are entirely British Made to B.S.S, and G.D.E. Specifications. XXIV THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945

NIPHAN

WATERTIGHT CABLE COUPLINGS ELECTRICAL NEED

N 659. 5 Amp. 250 Volt, 3-pole earthed Flange Angle Plug.

SIMMONDS & STOKES LTD. Victoria House.Southampton Row. London. W.C 1 H f&t7& 2163

If delivery is important

send your enquiries

COTTON & PAPER COVERED AND COTTON BRAIDED H.G. COPPER WIRES & STRIPS That little more In perfection and quality that means so much in perform­ ance. Technical leaders since 1821. On Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry Lists Thames Wire & Cable Co.Ltd, BATH HALL WORKS, MILKSTONE SPRING WORKS. ROCHDALE, BELL LANE, HODDESDON, HERTS Telephone: Rochdale 2237-8.' Telegrams: "RILOSPRING." Telephone : HODDESDON 2485 A.I.D. APPROVED August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN XXV

r o K

USE OUR AMPLE PRODUCTION AND RESEARCH FACILITIES

DUNSTABLE • BEDS. t o l V DUNSTABLE SU EMPIRE RUBBER C? Grams: SPANDIT, DUNSTABLE xxvi THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945

VULCANIZED FIBRE. EBONITE, BAKELITE Sheets, Rods, Tubes and Machined Shapes

LEATHEROID Sh eets, Rolls, etc. " CLIFTEX” Insulating Tapes. Insulating Staples, Jointing, Presspahn.

MOSSES & MITCHELL LTD, 60-68, Ironmonger Row, London, E.C.1.

LONDEX REMOTE CONTROL o f S T R E E T LIGHTING L/ÇHTS: V/ MASTER ShV/TCH. RELJY.

LITHOLITE INSULATORS & PfLOT W/RE. RELA 'BATTERY. ST. ALBANS MOULDINGS LTD: ------^ £S This simple arrangï , r u r E i m ent In wide use. ¿JCHTS.^ WATFORD Ask for leaflet 104/EL MAW. ’PHONE::i W ATFORD 4 4 9 4 ' L 0 N D E X • L T D MANUFACTURERS OF RELAY S 207-fiNERltY ROADIONDONVE-20

The “ S crutact” H.R.C. Fusegear principle Cartridge-tags clamped with utmost metal-to-metal con­ tact by wedge pressure of nearly half a ton, actuated by two easily turned knurled knobs. Instantaneous release of cartridge for replacement, with­ out tools. W orth investigation ? Decidedly, write us for further particulars. The ideal method for avoiding fuse-contact heating, par­ ticularly on ships, because fuse-bridge cannot fall out. DONOVANS- THE DONOVAN ELECTRICAL C9 LT.° BIRMINGHAM, 9 H ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS AND STOCKHOLDERS. H P h o n e - STEchfobo 2277 (P.B.X.) 'Gr a m s -DONOVAN,Birmingham' Q g August 31, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN xxvii *D E L A R O N LAMINATED PLASTIC . . . the ideal electrical insulator made in commercial, stamping, punching and ma­ chining grades in paper and fabric base.

6 S

-*• The name delaron We will gladly consult with you on the most Registered Trade Mark Qf DELARQN fiU any ¿nsu. lation and stamping or machining requirement.

DE LA RUE INSULATION LIMITED

IMPERIAL HOUSE • 84 REGENT STREET • LONDON • W .l TELEPHONE: REGENT 2901 DD.IOI xxviii THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945

Relays for all purposes 'x & ’u e n c C s ... TEMPERATURE CONTROLLERS PRECISION RESISTORS

EARTH PROTECTION Butcher—Black & Decker system

OURA WIR E S DURACABLES

¡SÍJlProofi ÍPeffiól; Proof ■ i i i i 111 ii iii ii il uni n rrn m I F a I g ■ Road iFELTHAM . Middlesex

Wherever and whenever intercommuni­ cation telephones are concerned keep the nam e Ericsson in mind. Thus you will be sure of efficiency, reliability and service. For everything in internal telephones consult ERICSSON TELEPHONES LTD. 5«, KINGS WAY, LONDON. W.C.1 (HOLborn 6}i t , ) . •' ■■ ' X

August 31, 1945 T H E ELECTRICIA N MM

THE ELECTRICIAN August 31, 1945

The clear and shadowless lighting of the machine shop illustrated is provided by COSMOS LAMPS— the height of perfection in industrial lighting. METROVICKS X m n f PRODUCT METROVICK COSMOS LAMPS

METROPOLITAN-VICKERS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD NUMBER ONE KINGSWAY. \ * * * LONDON. W.C.2. S /0 4 0 «

Printed in Great Britain by S t k a k k r B r o t h k r v L t d . . 194-200, Bishopsgate, F.C.2, and published by B r n .v B r o t h e r s , L t d , at Bouvetie House, 151, Fleet Street, London, E.C.4. Friday, August 31, 1.45