A Matter of Tons.

(We invite all men in the University to submit communications on subjects of timely interest, but assume no responsibility for sentiments expressed under this head.)

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

A request has been made for some figures relative to the proposed daylight-saving plan. I submit a rough calculation of the fuel which would be saved by extinguishing lights one hour earlier each night. This would be the main item in the direct saving, for the same amount of heat would be required, whatever the hours of beginning and ending work, if the length of the day is to be the same. This calculation does not pretend to be exact. From the nature of the case it cannot be, but it will serve as a basis.

Suppose 1,500 students go to bed an hour earlier. This is probably more than would do so for some time after the institution of the scheme.

Suppose each student usually used three electric bulbs. This should be liberal enough to include the lighting of Widener.

The average bulb used is the 25 watt Mazda.

The total saving would be 75 watts per student, or 112,500 watt-hours. Call it 120 kilowatt-hours.

At ten cents a kilowatt hour, this is a saving of $12 a night.

One horse-power is 746 watts. One-hundred and sixty-one horse-power would be consumed.

A certain rather old-fashioned Corliss steam engine requires 2.6 pounds of coal per horsepower per hour. Let us allow three, to take dynamo and transmission losses into consideration.

We save 483 pounds of coal.

In the 17 weeks or so during which the plan might run, counting six nights a week, the total would be approximately 50,000 pounds or 25 tons.

Even 25 tons is something to be considered in the present crisis. The recent Fuel Administration orders show how serious this is; but even so it is plain that we must not look to the coal directly saved as a very powerful argument in support of the plan. Its strength must be in indirect saving, such as lightening late traffic on the Subway, and making more feasible an earlier closing. Neither does the University stand alone. It would be part of a nation-wide effort to economize; and it is not improbable that many other universities and colleges would take similar action. Most important of all, it would be a direct bit of co-operation with Fuel Administrator Storrow and his policy of saving by early stopping of the entire State's activities.

Is it worth while or isn't it? HALLOWELL DAVIS '18.