COMMENT. 



The Editor is overwhelmed by the mass of good printed ma- 

 terial that comes to his desk and should receive recognition and 

 reference in the Quarterly. The technical home literature is 

 growing so rapidly, not only in bulk but in quality, that the Edi- 

 tor must acknowledge his utter inability to do justice to it, especi- 

 ally as long as the publisher or business manager insists that the 

 size of the magazine, the subscription price, and the subscription 

 list are growing utterly out of relation. Yet, if the magazine is 

 to fulfill what is perhaps its most useful function, namely, record 

 for reference, all important development of the technical side 

 of the profession, it must expand the space for this purpose. At 

 the same time, without any solicitation, original articles written 

 specially for the Quarterly are also multiplying and clamoring 

 for space. So far the Editor has not considered it safe to ex- 

 ercise his function of scrutinizing for quality very vigorously, 

 and has printed nearly all that has been offered, in order not to 

 discourage the good will behind the effort. There is no thought 

 of in anyway reflecting upon the work of the contributors of the 

 past, who deserve only credit, but, since the quantity is growing 

 at a geometric ratio, it may be proper to give warning that it may 

 become necessary to refuse acceptance of manuscript, which is 

 too diffuse or of too temporary value, or of minor interest. 



All this development is, of course, a matter for congratula- 

 tion ! That in the short space of ten years, without any extra- 

 ordinary attempt at pushing matters, this magazine has grown 

 from 172 pages to over five times that size, is a sign of the rapid 

 development of the profession, and of the existence of at least 

 a few devoted adherents who see benefits in keeping abreast with 

 the growth of technical knowledge. The subscription list has, 

 however, not grown in the same ratio. Beginning with barely 

 over 100 readers when it was a one dollar student publication, 

 it has not quintupled its bona fide subscription list, although its 

 distribution reaches nearly the figures of 900. That each annual 

 balance under these circumstances should still be on the wrong 

 side is not so creditable to the professional spirit or interest. 



