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also, that every boy should be taught some trade, as it was a 
well known fact that the bulk of the unemployed in the country 
were persons who never learned a trade. 
Tt would lead to a great improvement in the condition of 
many, if the sentiment expressed by Mr. Tom Mann, at the 
Dockers’ Conference, was carried out. He advised them ‘ Not 
to lean upon politicians, philanthropists, or upon any other 
section of the community, but to work out their own salvation.” 
It was important to know that the wise spending of money was 
as important as the earning of it. 
Reference was then made to the elevating influences of books, 
music, the fine arts, natural scenery, and that these would be a 
much more important factor in the future elevation of the people. 
The drink question was described as the greatest social 
problem of the day, and the remedies propounded by different 
schools of reformers were discussed at length. 
An interesting debate took place at the close of the paper. 
THE ENGINEERING ASPECT OF THE 
MANCHESTER SHIP CANAL. 
By STANLEY DUNKEBRLEY, B.Sc. November 10th, 1891. 
Mr. Dunkerley’s paper, which had lantern illustration, did not 
attempt to describe every work of engineering interest which 
occurs on the canal, but it was intended to convey an idea of the 
magnitude of the undertaking, and to consider the main 
engineering features in more or less detail. 
Certain particulars relating to the canal and its making are 
first given :— 
The total length of the canal from start to finish is 35 miles 
25-06 chains. The total quantity of earth to be moved is about 
46,000,000 cubic yards, 10,000,000 of which is solid sandstone 
rock. The soft earth is used for railway and other embankments, 
filling up river beds, &c., and the rock for abutments, walls, 
pitching, &c. 70,000,000 bricks will be used on the canal, and 
1,250,000 cubic yards of concrete for which the gravel and sand 
is being used. ‘To convey an idea of the quantity of stuff to be 
excavated, it may be mentioned that if tipped along the equator, 
there would be sufficient to build a continuous wall 4 feet 3 inches 
high and 2 inches thick entirely encircling the globe, or again, 
st would be sufficient to build 14 pyramids of the same size 
as the great pyramid originally was (89,000,000 cubic feet). The 
canal is to be constructed with a minimum width of 120 feet at 
bottom, the minimum width from Barton Locks to Pomona 
