NATURAL i:Xi:.M]l'.S < "F T 1 1 K AKCENTl-NE ANT. 2\J 



latter countries should uiake every effort to determine the facts in 

 the case with a view to introducing any natural agencies which 

 mature investigations proved to be advisable. 



{Read, July 5. 191 7.) 



•R.WSACTIOXS OF SOCIETIES. 



South African Sociktv ok Civil Engineers. — Wednesday, July nth: 

 R. W. Alenmuir, :M.I.C.E., President, in the chair.—" The Problem of 

 sewage disposal, with special reference to South Africa": H. C. Kirby. 

 The first portion of the paper was devoted to showing how the sewage 

 disposal problem in England arose from the necessity of protecting rivers 

 from pollution. In the second portion the author reviewed the larger 

 and municipal schemes which exist in South Africa to-day, including those 

 at Johannesburg, Wynberg. RIoemfontein. Alaritzburg. Queenstown. and 

 Pretoria. The following suggestions respecting sewage disposal in South 

 Africa were made: — (i) The septic tank system is unsuitable, and pre- 

 liminary treatment on sedimentation principles more efficacious; (2) 

 filtration and purification are necessary generally only in cases of appli- 

 cation to and absorption by land; (3) purification of sewage containing 

 night-soil is practically impossible, resulting in failure both at the works 

 and on the land; (4)" night-soil should ]>e absolutely excluded in default 

 of ample land area. — " Preliminary route survey of the profosed north- 

 south Transcontinental railway. Australia ": X. Chalmers. An account 

 of the investigations and survey undertaken in connection with a pro- 

 jected railway, 1.060 miles in length, intended to link up the Port Augusta 

 Oodnadatta line (478 miles long) in South Australia, witli the Port 

 Darwin-Pine Creek railway ( 167 nn'les long) in the Northern Territory. 



South African Institute of Electrical Engineers.— Thursday. 

 July 19th: W. H. Perrow, M.l.ME.. President, in the chair. — " Elcctriftca- 

 tioii of the Chicago. Milzvaukee. and St. Paul RaHrvay" : J. W. Kirkland. 

 This electric railway system is the largest and most important existing 

 application of electricity to main line railway operation ; it employs the 

 highest direct current voltage hitherto practically applied; it employs, 

 for the first time successfully, and on a large scale, regenerative braking. 

 The total length of railway already electrically equipped is 582 miles. 

 Before electrification two Mallet steam locomotives of 278 tons weight 

 could not handle on the mountain sections trailing loads of more than 

 2,000 tons ; now two electric locomotives of 282 tons can handle 3,000 tons, 

 and at a much greater speed. The power is all purchased from the Mon- 

 tana Power Company, which has 13 hydro-electric powder stations in 

 operation. Details of power demand and cost were given, and the manner 

 in which speed is controlled when descending heavy grades was described. 

 After referring to the equipment and the system of overhead construction, 

 the author, in conclusion, enumerated thirteen advantages inherent in 

 electrification. 



Thursday, August i6th : W. H. Perrow, M.I.E.E., President, in the 

 cbsiir.—" Electrification of the Chicago. Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway 

 (Part II) ": J. W. Kirkland. The mechanical features of the 42 loco- 

 motives employed on the line were described, and the data given relating 

 to the motors with which these locomotives are equipped. An exhaustive 

 account of the control equipment was also given. A typical sub-station 

 was described, and suggestions at some length were made for the electrifi- 

 cation of the 125 miles of railway connecting Durban with Mooi River on 

 the Natal railways. 



Thursday, October i8th ; W. H. Perrow, M.I.E.E., President, in the 

 chair.— "T^r/av protective devices": C. J. Monk. The various types of 

 relays used on the Rand Mines Power Supply Company and the Victoria 

 Falls and Transvaal Power Company system were described, with details 

 of their operating characteristics, and the results achieved with these auto- 

 matic devices. 



