It must be remembered, however, that the jolting and handling to which these batteries are subjected, in traction work, increases the tendency to disintegrate, buckle and short circuit, and that the record for durability for this application can never be the same as for stationary work.  A serious inconvenience to the use of batteries in traction work is the necessary presence of the liquid in the jars.  This causes the whole equipment to be somewhat cumbersome, and unless arranged with great care, and with a variety of devices lately designed, a source of considerable annoyance.

The connections between the plates, which formerly gave so much trouble by breaking off, have been perfected so as to prevent this difficulty, and the shape of the jars has been designed to prevent the spilling of the acid while the car is running.  The car seats are now practically hermetically sealed, so that the escaping gases are not offensive to the passengers.

The handling of the batteries is an exceedingly important consideration.  Many devices have been invented to render this easy and cheap.  I have witnessed the changing of batteries in a car, one set being taken out and a charged set replaced by four men in the short space of three minutes.  This is accomplished by electrical elevators, which move the batteries opposite the car, and upon the platforms of which the discharged elements are again charged.

The general conclusions which the year’s experience and progress have afforded us an opportunity to make may be summarized as follows: 

Storage battery cars are as yet applicable only to those roads which are practically level; where the direct system cannot be used, and where cable traction cannot be used; and applicable to those roads only at about the same cost as horse traction.

I feel justified in making this statement in view of the guarantees which some of the more prominent manufacturers of batteries are willing to enter into, and which practically insure the customer against loss due to the deterioration of plates:  leaving the question of the responsibility of the company the only one for him to look into.

* * * * *

ON THE ELIMINATION OF SULPHUR FROM PIG IRON.[1]

  [Footnote 1:  Paper read before the Iron and Steel Institute.]

By J. MASSENEZ, Hoerde.

If in the acid and the basic Bessemer processes the molten pig iron is taken direct to the converter from the blast furnace, there is the disadvantage that the running of the individual blast furnaces can hardly ever be kept so uniform as it is desirable should be the case in order to secure regularity in the converter charges.  In the manufacture of Bessemer steel the variable proportions of silicon and of carbon here come chiefly under consideration, while in the basic process it is chiefly the varying proportions