<論説>水力エネルギーに関する歴史地理 : ヨーロッパを中心とする水車利用の展開について

Abstract

資本主義・社会主義の別なく世界各国で企てられつつある《総合開発》《自然改造》事業は、水力開発計画がその基幹となって推進されている。この水力エネルギーを生産加工過程の中に繰入れる歴史は、今日では水力が更に電気エネルギーに転形されている点その利用形態は異るが、なまのままの水力として、夙にその利用がみられた。ヨーロッパ世界において、水車がどのような地理的基盤の中で発明されたか、またその機能は何を指向したか、いかなる契機がその利用を衰退させたか等の諸点について考察するのが本稿の目的であるが、水車と水力発電とのもつエネルギー獲得・消費技術上の差異が、どのように地理的条件と相互連関するかの問題に論旨を今後発展させる意図をもつ。またアジア世界における水車利用の展開の様相についても他日を期したい。

To utilize water power as energy source is the main object at present under a plan of "Remodelling of Nature." Although water power is now used as hydroelectricity, it had been greatly used to move water mills before the turbine or dynamo was invented. Here the author's intention is to study the differences or resemblences of the relation of Nature and the technique between the history of direct utilization of water and that of the utilization of water as hydroelectric power. Water mills were already used in Ancient Times for corn grinding, but they have come into general use in Middle Ages. As for the mechanism of mill, it had been invented as the mechanism of paddle wheel turned by stream for the purpose of drawing up water for irrigation before it was used for corn grinding, that is milling. Through the Middle Ages water mills were used not only or for producing flour but also as waterhammer or waterbellow in metallurgy or for other purposes. The utilization of water by mills reached the peak when it gave birth to the mechanization of cotton industry with waterframes and waterlooms. After the invention of steam-engine by Watt, the utilization of water power has come to de disregarded. However, the arrival of hydroelectric era anticipates the coming back of water power age.