November 25 1924
CALCULATED on the basis on units employed per head of the population, Switzerland easily leads the countries of the world as a user of electric power. The small nation’s average is 700; it is a territory whose cascades are many and forceful. Canada comes next with 612; Niagara is not far from several of its principal centres of population. Norway, another mountainous country, like Switzerland, has an average of 493; the United States, where coal is largely used for the development of electric power, follows with 472; other countries are represented thus: Sweden, 364; South Africa, 199; France, 147; Germany, 141; “United Kingdom”, 139; Chile, 125; Belgium, 97; Japan, 90; Italy, 85; Denmark, 57; Holland, 52; Spain, 49; Australia, 48. Belgium is a flat country; its rivers are sluggish – like the Shannon throughout the greater part of its long course. Germany has been an absolute unit industrially only since the war. There are no waterfalls or coal in Denmark.
Belfast and Dublin are the only Irish centres in which electric power has been developed to any appreciable extent; and Dublin’s average was just below Japan’s a few years ago. “Irish Engineering” – one of the best Trade journals published in any country – has a long article and several pointed paragraphs in its latest issue on various Irish “schemes”. The Liffey will supply Dublin’s needs for very many years to come, and it is argued that the only possible justification of the proposals for developing the Shannon, via Germany, “must arise from the development of a load in other parts of the country where no load exists at present”. When, therefore, it is claimed that the Shannon can supply “the present and prospective power needs of the Free State”, it is suggested that the “present needs” refer to Dublin in the main, and that the “prospective needs” refer mainly to other parts of the country. The writer of the article says: -
“And as the load for these other parts has yet to be developed, manifestly, from the point of view of finance, money engaged in the development of the Shannon for these other parts will have to lie out of bearing until such a load has been created. What are the chances of that creation? And can it be created within such a period of time as will justify a heavy expenditure, not only on the Shannon, but on a network of lines from the Shannon to every part of the country”.
Irish News editorial on how far the island of Ireland was lagging in electric power output compared to other countries, and questioning the wisdom of the Free State government in placing so much money and emphasis on the Shannon Hydro-Electric Scheme.
