DEPARTMENT REPORTS. M 



ngo. At about tliat tiino iiunc Avas a fnrtlior subdivision of tliG pro- 

 fession into special branches, as for instance Meclianical and ]\Iining 

 and in later times Electrical. 



The latter subdivisions have become of great importance during the 

 last 20 Tears, because of the great development of the manufacturing 

 and electrical industries in this country. 



The mechanical and electrical branches have created special tiebls 

 which are now well recognized by the engineering profession generally. 

 It is also interesting to nf)te that the d(^velopment of these branches 

 has acted to practically limit the term "Civil Engineer" to a specialty 

 as narrow as the other branches. Thus at the present time while the term 

 "Civil Engineering" might in its broad sense cover all branches of 

 engineei'ing not military, as a matter of fact the actual civil engineer 

 is one educated for special work and gener?illy with a practical train- 

 ing for only one branch of engineering. 



Neglecting military engineering, we tind tliat in Ihe lield of education 

 Ihere is ]»road recognition gisen to the professions of Civil, ]\rechanical, 

 Electrical and Mining engineering; in addition sitecial branehes of en- 

 gineering comprehended by a sing;le industry are also often recognized. 



Considering the various branches of engineering as ihev exist to-day, 

 the fields of industry covered are practically as follows : 



Civil Engineering: Devoted principally to surveying, construction of 

 static structures, bridges, dams, etc., and to public works. 



Mechanical Engineering: Devoted principally to dynamic structures, 

 including machines, engines of all kinds, construction of machiner}^ and 

 factories, and operation of works. 



Electrical Engineering: Devoted to the application of electricity, 

 principally to mechanical engineering constructions. (This is generally 

 considered a branch of Mechanical Engineering and in most institutions 

 there is a tendency to bring the mechanical and electrical engineering 

 courses tog-ether except for certain special studies.) 



Mining Engineering: Application of engineering to mining opera- 

 tions. It includes surveying, assaying, mining processes and machinery. 



The number of sub branches of engineering relating to the special 

 industries can it is evident, be as numerous as the industries themselves. 

 Among the sub-branches of engineering mainly mechanical which are 

 organized into national societies may be mentioned heating and ventilat- 

 ing, marine, automobile, electric railroad, railroad master mechanics, 

 sanitary, etc. 



From the above it is noted that these various branches of engineering 

 differ from each other principally as to the field of application and the 

 character of industry dependent thereon. 



The above statements tend to give an idea of the work required of 

 an engineer. It is to be noted that this work covers nearly the entire 

 field of human activity. It is an engineer's business to vmlcrstand and 

 control the forces of nature. We owe all our great ])roductions in 

 practical lines to the engineer; it is he who designs and takes in charge 

 the construction of our bridges, our railroads, our engines, our electrical 

 machinery and all the great practical ap]>lications of science. 



There is a difference between engineering and invention ; invention, 

 in order to produce practical results, may require the services of an 

 engineer and may involve engineering but nevertheless the work of an 



