Denny Lane Papers Descriptive List (Ref. U611)

U611/

126 13 June 1892 Note from Denny Lane, Ballyvourney, County Cork, to Mr. J.O’Mahony, Cork Gas Company. Lane seems to be on holiday. ‘Beautiful weather with cold nights…feel better already’. Lane says the place is ‘charming now’ with ‘Rhododendrons and Agaleas in full bloom…’. 1p 127 1 March 1893 Letter from Denny Lane, Queen’s Hotel, Birmingham, England to Mr. J.O’Mahony, Cork Gas Company. Mainly concerns Lane’s observations on equipment at Windsor Street Works. Mentions that the electric light in the coffee room is ‘so bad I could scarcely read a newspaper’. Lane remarks that ‘some of the people here were surprised at the low price at which we can get Newcastle coal in Cork’. 4pp 128 1 March [1893] Letter from Denny Lane, Craven Hotel, London, to Mr. J.O’Mahony, Cork Gas Company. Mainly concerns an electrical exhibition which he has attended and a speech he gave to the Institute of Gas Engineers. He met Edison’s representative at the Exhibition, who gave him every information. Lane notes that Edison has 3 steam engines working 12 dynamos. Lane attended a Dinner for members of the Gas Institute at the Crystal Palace. Speeches by Stevenson, Spice, Sugg and others ‘gave no useful information on electric lighting’, hence ‘there were loud calls for me’. Lane’s view ‘greatly comforted many’ that ‘how absurd it was to fancy that any improvements of consequence could be made in the production of Electricity…’, as ‘Groves principles’ proved that progress was impossible. He also showed how ‘far cheaper gas was than the incandescent light’ and was ‘cheered to the echo’. He was thanked warmly by many. Lane concludes that his speech was more successful than anticipated. 5pp 129 2 March 1893

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