But in 1881, we have, for the transmission
of power, first of all, quick moving ropes, and there is not, so far
as I know a better instance of this system than that at Schaffhausen.
Any one who has ever, in recent years, gone a mile or two above the
falls at Schaffhausen, must have seen there--in a house, on the bank
of the Rhine, opposite to that on which the town is situated--large
turbines driven by the river, which is slightly dammed up for the
purpose. These work quick-going ropes, carried on pulleys, erected at
intervals along the river bank, for the whole length of the town; and
power is delivered from them to shafting below the streets, and from
it into any house where it is required for manufacturing purposes.
Then we have the compressed air transmission of power, which is very
largely used for underground engines, and for the working of rock
drills in mines and tunnels.
COMPRESSED AIR LOCOMOTIVES.
We have also compressed air in a portable form, and it is now employed
with great success in driving tram-cars. I had occasion last January
to visit Nantes, where, for eighteen months, tram-cars had been driven
by compressed air, carried on the cars themselves, coupled with an
extremely ingenious arrangement for overcoming the difficulties
commonly attendant on the use of compressed air engines.
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