Last year the whole of the lighting of the Newcastle Exhibition was
effected by the agency of seventeen of these motors, of which four were
spare, giving in the aggregate 280 electrical horse power. As the steam
was provided by the authorities of the exhibition, it was good proof to
the public that they had satisfied themselves that the consumption would
not be extravagant, as however favorable might be the terms on which the
manufacturers would be willing to lend their engines, they could
scarcely be sufficiently tempting to compensate for an outrageous
consumption of coal, even in Newcastle. At the time we gave an account
of the result of the test, showing that the steam used was 65 lb. per
electrical horse power, a very satisfactory result, and equal to 43 lb.
per indicated horse power if compared with an ordinary engine driving a
generator through a belt. Recently Mr. Parsons has given an account of
the theory and construction of his motor before the Northeast Coast
Institution, and has quoted 52 lb. of steam per electric horse power as
the best result hitherto attained with a steam pressure of 90 lb. As now
made there are forty-five turbines through which the steam passes in
succession, expanding in each, until it is finally exhausted.
[Illustration: THE COMPOUND STEAM TURBINE.
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