et without infringement of patents. The Jardine action seemed to the
writer a very close imitation also, and he can testify to its being a
good one, as he later on had nearly three years experience of it at All
Angels' Church.

But the pioneers had troubles of their own, no doubt, caused by using
too large and heavy magnets, which exhausted the batteries faster than
the current could be produced. The writer had this experience with the
batteries at two different churches and had some difficulty in getting
the organ-builders to see what was the matter. The steady use of the
organ for an hour-and-a-half's choir rehearsal would exhaust the
batteries. The organ-builder would be notified, and, on coming next
day, _would not find anything the matter_, the batteries having
recovered themselves in the interim. Finally, two sets of batteries
were installed with a switch by the keyboard, so that the fresh set
could be brought into use on observing signs of exhaustion. Many
churches have installed small dynamos to furnish current for the key
action. Even in these cases signs of weakness are often apparent--the
organist in playing full does not get all the notes he puts down. Same
cause of trouble--too heavy magnets. Here is where the Hope-Jones
action has the whip-hand over all others, all the current it requires
being supplied by a single cell! At the writer's churches there were
six and eight cells. Most of the electric organs erected in this
country, 1894-1904, have had to be entirely rebuilt.

About the year 1894 Ernest M. Skinner (at that time Superintendent of
the Hutchings Organ Co., of Boston, Mass.), went over to England to
study the art in that country. He was well received by Hope-Jones, by
Willis and others. He introduced many of the English inventions into
this country--the movable console (St. Bartholomew's, New York;
Symphony Hall, Boston, etc.), increased wind pressure and the leathered
lip (Grace Church, Plymouth Church, Columbia College, College of the
City of New York, Cleveland Cathedral, etc.), smooth heavy pressure
reeds, Tibias (Philomela) small scale strings, etc. In this work
Skinner eventually had the advantage of Hope-Jones' services as
Vice-President of his own company and of the assistance of a number of
his men from England.

About the year 1895 Carlton C. Michell, an English organ-builder, who
had been associated with Thynne and with Hope-Jones, and who had as the
latter's representa