▁and ▁its ▁App li ances ▁( 1 8 8 4 ) ▁ ▁Under ground ▁versus ▁Over head ▁W ires ▁( 1 8 8 7 ) ▁ ▁The ▁Te legraph ▁and ▁Tele phone , ▁considered ▁in ▁relation ▁to ▁Econom y ▁and ▁E ffic iency ▁( 1 8 8 7 ) ▁ ▁Other ▁activities ▁Nic oll ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁numerous ▁areas ▁of ▁public ▁life , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁for ▁being ▁so . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁Sher iff ▁of ▁London ▁and ▁M idd les ex ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 9 , ▁and ▁became ▁captain ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 9 th ▁North ▁M idd les ex ▁R if le ▁Vol unte er ▁Corps ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 4 . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁Commission er ▁for ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁London ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 7 ▁Paris ▁Ex hib ition , ▁receiving ▁a ▁medal ▁and ▁an ▁hon ou rable ▁mention ▁for ▁an ▁exhib it ▁showing ▁the ▁properties ▁of ▁bit umen ▁as ▁an ▁ins ulating ▁material . ▁The ▁ 1 8 7 2 ▁Moscow ▁Ex hib ition ▁and ▁ 1 8 7 3 ▁Vienna ▁Ex hib ition ▁also ▁awarded ▁him ▁med als . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁Justice ▁of ▁the ▁Peace ▁for ▁M idd les ex ▁and ▁West min ster , ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁Po or ▁Law ▁Am end ment ▁Society , ▁and ▁a ▁life ▁governor ▁of ▁many ▁London ▁char itable ▁institutions . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁Society ▁of ▁Arts , ▁the ▁In vent ors ' ▁Institute , ▁the