Articles for Civil Engineers
Bridges (Vol. 4, p. 533), with 72 illustrations, diagrams, etc., is a thorough discussion of the subject by Dr. William C. Unwin, emeritus professor of engineering, Central Technical College, City and Guilds of London Institute, author of Wrought Iron Bridges and Roofs, etc. This article covers the whole theory of bridge design, and describes all the typical structures from the timber Pons Sublicius of ancient Rome, the bridge Horatius defended, to the Manhattan Bridge over the East River at New York. Roads and Streets (Vol. 23, p. 388); River Engineering (Vol. 23, p. 374), with 26 illustrations, by the late L. F. Vernon-Harcourt, professor of civil engineering, University College, London, and author of Rivers and Canals, etc.; Jetty (Vol. 15, p. 359), with 6 illustrations, and Pier (Vol. 21, p. 588), illustrated, also by Prof. Vernon-Harcourt; Dredge and Dredging (Vol. 8, p. 562), with 13 illustrations, by William Hunter, consulting engineer for Waterworks to Crown agents for the Colonies.
Hydraulics (Vol. 14, p. 35), with 213 illustrations, is by Prof. W. C. Unwin—an article in which the whole theory and practice of water-power, including discussions of water-motors and turbines, are brought fully up to date by the designer of the first water-motors at Niagara, the section dealing with hydraulic machines occupying 25 pages; Hydromechanics (Vol. 14, p. 115) by Sir Alfred George Greenhill, formerly professor of mathematics in the Ordnance College, Woolwich; Ventilation (Vol. 27, p. 1008), illustrated, by James Bartlett; Water Supply (Vol. 28, p. 387), with 20 illustrations, diagrams, and maps, by Dr. G. F. Deacon, formerly engineer-in-chief for the Liverpool Water Supply; Aqueduct, Modern Construction (Vol. 2, p. 244), by E. P. Hill; Sewerage (Vol. 24, p. 735), with 29 illustrations, by James Bartlett; Irrigation (Vol 14, p. 841).
Canal (Vol. 5, p. 168), by Sir E. Leader Williams, chief engineer of Manchester Ship Canal during construction, is an interesting article. There are also separate articles on great engineering undertakings, such as Panama Canal (Vol. 20, p. 667); Manchester Ship Canal (Vol. 17, p. 550) by Sir E. Leader Williams; Suez Canal (Vol. 26, p. 22). It will surprise many readers to learn that the project of a ship canal across Central America was considered as early as 1550, when a book demonstrating its feasibility was published in Portugal. Only a year later the King of Spain was strongly urged, in a memorial presented by De Gomara, the Spanish historian, to undertake the work.
Railways and Transportation
Tunnel (Vol. 27, p. 399), with many plans and illustrations, by H. A. Carson, in charge of designing and constructing the Boston Subway; Dock (Vol. 8, p. 353), with illustrations and plans; Caisson (Vol. 4, p. 957); Breakwater (Vol. 4, p. 475), with 16 illustrations; Harbour (Vol. 12, p. 935), illustrated; Reclamation of Land (Vol. 22, p. 954), with 13 illustrations. The last five articles are by Professor Vernon-Harcourt; Lighthouse (Vol. 16, p. 627), with 59 illustrations, by W. T. Douglass, who erected the Eddystone and Bishop Rock Lighthouses, and Nicholas G. Gedye, chief engineer to the Tyne Improvement Commission; Shipbuilding (Vol. 24, p. 922), with 125 illustrations—a complete treatise on the subject by Sir Philip Watts, director of naval construction for the British Navy; Traction (Vol. 27, p. 119), illustrated, by Prof. Louis Duncan, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Tramway (Vol. 27, p. 159), illustrated, by Emile Garcke, managing director of the British Electric Traction Co., Ltd.; Railways (Vol. 22, p. 819), a magnificent composite article, fully illustrated, in which the Introduction and the sections on Construction and Rolling Stock are by H. M. Ross, editor of The Times Engineering Supplement; General Statistics and Financial Organization, by Ray Morris, formerly of the Railway Age Gazette, New York, and author of Railroad Administration; Economics and Legislation, by Arthur T. Hadley, president of Yale University; American Railway Legislation, by Prof. Frank H. Dixon, of Dartmouth College, author of State Railroad Control; Accident Statistics, by B. B. Adams, associate editor, Railway Age Gazette; Intra Urban Railways, by W. B. Parsons, formerly chief engineer, Rapid Transit Commission, New York, and Light Railways, by C. E. Webber of the Royal Engineers, and Emile Garcke. No book on the subject has ever before contained so great a collection of expert knowledge as this article presents.
Structural Engineering
In regard to construction, engineers will find most valuable for reference and study the elaborate treatises Strength of Materials (Vol. 25, p. 1007), with 42 diagrams and illustrations, by Prof. J. A. Ewing, and Elasticity (Vol. 9, p. 141), with 32 diagrams, by Prof. A. E. H. Love. Notable articles in this connection are Iron and Steel (Vol. 14, p. 801), illustrated, by Dr. H. M. Howe, professor of metallurgy, Columbia University; and Steel Construction (Vol. 25, p. 861), illustrated. It is interesting to note that early in the 19th century a tall shot-tower was built in New York city by erecting a braced cage of iron and filling in the panels with masonry. Stone (Vol. 25, p. 958); Masonry (Vol. 17, p. 841), with 18 illustrations; Brickwork (Vol. 4, p. 521), with 15 illustrations—these four articles by James Bartlett, lecturer on construction at King’s College, London; Cement (Vol. 5, p. 653), illustrated, by Bertram Blount, hon. president, Cement Section of International Association for Testing Materials, Budapest; Concrete (Vol. 6, p. 835), with 16 illustrations, by F. E. Wentworth-Shields, dock engineer of the London and South-Western Railway; Mortar (Vol. 18, p. 875); Foundations (Vol. 10, p. 733), with 13 illustrations; Timber (Vol. 26, p. 978); Roofs (Vol. 23, p. 697), with 23 illustrations; Scaffold (Vol. 24, p. 279) illustrated; Shoring (Vol. 24, p. 1004), illustrated—the last six by James Bartlett.
For the Mechanical Engineer
The Engineering Section of the new Britannica provides an equal wealth of authentic material for members of other branches of the profession. It is impossible to indicate the exact lines of demarcation between these branches, and many articles are of use to all engineers alike; but in the special field of mechanical engineering there are Thermodynamics (Vol. 26, p. 808) by Dr. H. L. Callendar, professor of physics, Royal College of Science, London; Steam Engine (Vol. 25, p. 818) by Prof. Ewing, more than 30 pages long, with 68 illustrations. This article, with its up-to-date section on turbines, is one of the many in the engineering department of the Britannica which have been said by technical critics to merit separate publication as text-books. But such articles are all the more useful because they form part of one great library of universal knowledge. Other mechanical articles are Air Engine (Vol. 1, p. 443), illustrated, also by Professor Ewing; Gas Engine (Vol. 11, p. 495), illustrated, by Dugald Clerk, inventor of the Clerk Cycle Gas Engine; Oil Engine (Vol. 20, p. 35), illustrated, also by Dugald Clerk; Boiler (Vol. 4, p. 141), with 20 illustrations, by James T. Milton, chief engineer surveyor to Lloyd’s Registry of Shipping, and Joseph G. Horner, author of Plating and Boiler Making; Injector (Vol. 14, p. 570); Water Motors (Vol. 28, p. 382), illustrated, by T. H. Beare, Regius professor of engineering in the University of Edinburgh; Windmill (Vol. 28, p. 710), illustrated, by Professor Unwin; Fuel (Vol. 11, p. 274), illustrated, Solid Fuels by Hilary Bauermann, of the Ordnance College, Woolwich; Liquid Fuel, by Sir James Fortescue-Flannery, formerly president of the Institute of Marine Engineers; Gaseous Fuel, by Dr. Georg Lunge, professor of technical chemistry at the Zurich Polytechnic; Gas, Gas for Fuel and Power (Gas producers) (Vol. 11, p. 490), illustrated, also by Professor Lunge.