One hundred years ago
AN attempt to try the electric light on a large scale for street purposes, has for the present failed. The City Commis- sioners of Sewers proposed to allow the Brush Company to light the whole district from Cheapside, Ludgate Hill, and Fleet Street to the river. The Company was to receive only £4,394 a year, but was to enjoy a monopoly of the supply for private houses. The light was to be equal to thirty-two times that of gas, while the cost would be rather more than double. At the meeting of the Commissioners, however, it was argued that so much light was not wanted, and that it was unfair to tax the whole City for a luxury supplied only to a part. The proposal was, therefore, referred back. The second argument is, in principle, unanswerable; but we hope, nevertheless, that the experiment will be tried. Cost will never be settled in any other way, nor shall we ever be relieved of the greatest obstacle to the spread of electric lighting in private houses, — the idea, not altogether groundless, that it is liable to be sudden- ly interrupted. So valuable would a successful result on a great scale be to the Companies, that we rather wonder the shareholders of the Brush concern did not at once forego any public charge whatever. That ought to be the ultimate arrangement, — London lighted for nothing by a combination of Companies in return for the monopoly.
The Spectator, 25 February 1888
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