Section A.— ASTRONOMY, MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS, 

 METEOROLOGY, GEODESY, SURVEYING, ENGIN- 

 EERING, ARCHITECTURE AND IRRIGATION. 



President of the Section. — F". E. Kanthack, M.I.C.E., 



M.I.M.E. 



MONDAY. JULY 5. 



The President delixerec! the following- address : — 



The Section of whicli I have the honour of beino- President 

 this year, embraces a somewhat curious mixture of pure and 

 applied science, and it is difficult, in an address of this character, 

 to find a common denominator. Sectional Presidents, as a 

 general ride, cc^nfine their remarks to their own peculiar scientific 

 compartment. As a civil engineer, I am perhaps fortunate in 

 being intimately concerned, more or less, with all the science 

 branches of this Section, and I have elected to address a few 

 remarks to you to-day as an engineer in general, and not as an 

 irrigation engineer in particular. 



It is quite impossible this year to deflect one's mind from 

 the appalling struggle which is now taking place. The great 

 war. especially in Europe, dift'ers from all previous conflicts, in 

 that applied science is playing an overwhelmingly important part. 

 Almost everv branch of science has been drawn upon, and par- 

 ticularly those eiubraced in this Section. Mathematics, physics 

 and engineering are the essence of gunnery. Engineering science 

 and practice are drawn upon in every phase and branch of modern 

 warfare. Irrigation, even, has played a very important role, as 

 our enemy learned to their cost on the Yser Canal in Flanders. 

 Architects have a very painful interest in the war. They, together 

 with all lovers of what is beautiful, mourn the destruction of 

 ])riceless gems of Gothic monuments. 



There is, however, one factor in this war which is entirely 

 novel, and has had more far-reaching efifects than anything else, 

 and that is the internal combustion engine. 



The extraordinary rapid development of this particular 

 form of prime mover has entirely revolutionised warfare. 

 Though this type of engine was brought to a very high state of 

 efficiency some years before the present war, and was adapted 

 to serve all the needs it now serves, in no previous campaign has 

 it taken up the dominating position which it now occupies. 

 Briefly stated, the result of the invention and development of the 

 internal combustion engine Is mainly seen in motor transport 

 and aviation, and it is quite unnecessary for me to enlarge on 

 the far-reaching effects of these two factors in the present war. 



The origin of the gas engine is imperfectly known. It 

 certainly dates back to the latter part of the i7t'h century, and 



