president's address — SECTION J. 187 



circular roofs it is very suitable, and its durability is one of 

 its best qualities ; it has the disadvantage of being pervious to 

 wet, but this defect may possibly be cured by some chemical 

 wash. Good concrete may be moulded into any shape, or 

 cast into figures or statues, and it is apparently as durable as 

 the best limestone ; but the facility and cheapness with which 

 ornamentation may be impressed on it depreciates it in our 

 estimation, just as printed calico is despised in comparison 

 with woven patterns. 



Perhaps I am biassed in favour of concrete, because in 

 New Zeahind shingle and sand is so plentiful, and sound stone 

 so scarce, that there is always an inclination to use concrete, 

 but in any country where good stone is scarce great building 

 blocks of concrete may be made of almost any rubbly stone 

 broken up, and the cost is generally cheaper than cut and 

 dressed stone. When care is taken to sift and sort the 

 material for concrete, it may be moulded into every possible 

 shape, giving sharp angles and an admirable texture, the 

 durability of which is certain, while that of many stones is 

 never to be relied on. In engineering works concrete has 

 made quite a revolution, and although engineers of the old 

 school were slow to take advantage of it, its merits are now 

 fully recognised. In docks and harbour work, structures are 

 successfully carried out which would have been almost 

 impossible in any other material ; the violence and uncer- 

 tainties of the sea are overcome by the use of great concrete 

 blocks ; shifting foundations are rendered secure by grouting 

 beds of rubble with cement mortar at any depth below water ; 

 sewers are moulded under water on beds of quicksand, which 

 it would be impossible to pump dry without bringing down 

 the streets and buildings near them. In fact, the use of 

 concrete has dispelled some of the greatest risks and diffi- 

 culties to which engineering works are liable. 



In spite of many objections to its use, in which prejudice 

 has a considerable share, architects should devote more atten- 

 tion to concrete than they have hitherto done, the result of 

 which may possibly be a new architectural style, claiming the 

 admiration of future generations. 



When engineering separated itself from architecture it 

 looked forward to an undivided empire over its constructive 

 department, but the same restless spirit of progress has rent 

 it into a heptarchy of smaller states, each soliciting the 

 undivided patronage of the public. Thus we have civil, 

 mechanical, and military engineering ; these are subdivided 



