1869.] Engineering — Civil and Mechanical. 435 



A most interesting paper was read on 9th March " On American 

 Locomotives and Kailway Stock," by Mr. Zerah Colburn, the dis- 

 cussion on which extended over several evenings. In this a de- 

 scription was given of locomotive engineering in the States, and 

 comparisons were drawn between it and the practice in this 

 country. The paper was, however, too full of statistics and details 

 to admit of a short abstract. 



Mr. W. Shehbrd, in a paper '* On the Outfall of the Eiver 

 Humber," described the estuary of that river as the outlet for the 

 fresh waters from a drainage area of 10,500 square miles, or one- 

 fifth of the whole area of England ; but the present paper only 

 treated of the outfall, the observations being arranged under four 

 heads, viz. — 1. The facts in connection with the past and present 

 condition of the outfall, and of its peculiar features. 2. The ascer- 

 tained alterations in the tidal regime. 3. The relative value of 

 tidal and fresh water at the outfall. And 4. The relation of the 

 operations of nature and of engineering works to the facts 

 recorded. 



"A Description of the Low- water Basin at Birkenhead," by 

 Mr. J. EUacott, read on lltli May last, stated that according to 

 plans sanctioned by Parliament in 1844 and 1853 the Low- water 

 Basin was intended chiefly as a deep-water access, and as a sort of 

 refuge for shipping in the Mersey at all states of the tide. The 

 basin is 1750 feet in length, 300 feet in width at the mouth, and 

 400 feet wide at the extreme end. The area is 14 acres, and the 

 depth 12 feet 4 inches below low- water ordinary spring tides. A 

 description of the piling was given by the author as well as an 

 account of the sluicing arrangements. In 1866 an Act was ob- 

 tained for converting the Low- water Basin into a wet dock. 



Another paj)er was read at the same meeting by M. Jules 

 Gaudard, of Lausanne, " On the Present State of Knowledge of the 

 Strength and Eesistance of Materials." The author stated that 

 the theory of the strength and resistance of materials was closely 

 connected with that of molecular mechanics ; he then proceeded 

 to consider the forces of various kinds to which materials were sub- 

 jected, giving the results and formulae of the most modern inves- 

 tigations. 



Institution of Naval Architects. — The annual meeting of this 

 Institution took place in March last, when several valuable and 

 interesting papers were read. Of those which were of special 

 interest to the engineer may be mentioned the following: — "On 

 the Law of Eesistance of Armour Plates," by Mr. William Fair- 

 bairn, LL.D., F.E.S. ; " On the Stability of Floating Docks," by 

 Mr. George B. Eennie ; " Hydraulic Steering Gear," by Captain 

 Inglefield, E.N. ; " On Eailway Communication across the Sea," by 

 Mr. John Scott Eussell, F.E.S. ; " On Horse Power," by Mr. J. S. 



