Bl 
which was held at Basle from 315t August to the 8th Sep- 
tember, 1926, and did much to promote freedom of 
trade for the exchange of electrical power. 
In the appendix an attempt is made to present a sum- 
marised statement of the electrification development of the 
world, both as regards supply of current generally, and also 
as applied to railways. 
Technical “Work : for "the: Promotion of 
International ‘Exchange of Electrical 
Manufactures. 
There is a very pronounced desire, in all industrial countries, 
to establish uniform international regulations and standards 
for electrical machines, apparatus, conductors etc. etc. Such 
standardising not only cheapens manufacture considerably but 
also gives the consumers of such countries as have no elec- 
trical industry, the advantage of being able to obtain electric 
plant, which, as regards efficiency and reliability, conforms 
to an internationally recognised standard and at the same 
time gives them an absolutely free choice of suppliers. As 
an outcome of such ideas, the International Electrical Com- 
mission (IEC) was founded, in connection with the Chicago 
Exhibition of 1891. This commission has, since then, per- 
formed much valuable work in connection with technical 
nomenclature, regulations regarding efficiency, standard vol- 
tages etc. At the present time, efforts are being made to 
establish an international committee of standards. 
Besides the IEC, there are a number of more or less inter- 
national associations, whose object is the solution of common 
problems in the heavy current field. But here too the object 
to be aimed at, is the avoidance of all division 
and the unification of all organisations, 
as has been successfully done in the Universal Telegraph Union 
for international communication.