The weight of raw timber, afterwards to be converted into charcoal, that will be required to produce an effective horse-power for one hour equals 7 lb.

If coal is the fuel 1 1/3 lb. per E.H.P. for one hour’s run.

If lignite is the fuel 2 1/2 lb. per E.H.P. for one hour’s run.

The plant is simple to work, and as no steam boiler is required the danger of explosions is removed.  No expensive chimney is necessary for the waterless power plant.

Where petroleum oil can be cheaply obtained, say for twopence per gallon, one of the Otto Cycle Oil Engines, for powers up to 20 indicated horse-power, can be advantageously employed.

These engines have the advantage of being a self-contained power, requiring neither chimney nor steam boiler, and may be said to be a waterless power.  The objection is the necessity to rely upon oil as fuel, and the dangers attending the storage of oil.  A good oil engine should not require to use more than a pint of refined petroleum per indicated horse-power working for one hour.

Fortunately for the mining industry electricity, that magic and mysterious agency, has come to its assistance, in permitting motive power to be transmitted over distances of even as much as 100 miles with comparatively little loss of the original power energy.

Given, that on a coal or lignite field, or at a waterfall, 100 horse-power is developed by the combustion of fuel or by the fall of water driving a turbine, this power can be electrically transmitted to a mine or GROUP OF MINES, say 100 miles away, with only a loss of some 30 horse-power.  For twenty miles the loss on transmission should not exceed 15 horse-power so that 70 and 85 horse-power respectively are available at the mines.  No other system offers such remarkable efficiencies of power transmission.  The new Multiphase Alternating Electric Generating and Power Transmission System is indeed so perfect as to leave practically no margin for improvement.

The multiphase electric motor can be directly applied to the stamp battery and ore-breaker driving-shaft and to the shaft of the amalgamating pans.

     APPROXIMATE POWER REQUIRED TO DRIVE THE MACHINERY OF A MINE.

Rock breaker 10 effective horse-power Amalgamating pan 5 effective horse-power Grinding pan 6 effective horse-power Single stamp of 750 lb. dropping 90 times per minute 1.25 effective horse-power Settlers 4 effective horse-power Ordinary hoisting lift 20 effective horse-power

     Allow 10 per cent in addition for overcoming friction.

Besides this electrical distribution power, which should not cost more than three farthings per effective horse-power per hour, the electrical energy can be employed for lighting the drives and the shafts of the mine.  The modern electrical mine lamps leave little to be desired.  Also it is anticipated that once the few existing difficulties have been surmounted electric drilling will supplant all other methods.