80 TRANSPORTATION 



bridges, were furthered considerably, and that quite new theoretical 

 considerations arose l as concerning the superstructure. 



Freiherr von Weber, one of the most brilliant technologists, be- 

 lieves that all branches of the science of engineering arrived thus at 

 an extraordinary height, while with the ordinary course of events 

 only centuries could have accomplished the same. 2 Even the earth- 

 work is performed not any more in an empirical way, but based upon 

 scientific principles. The solidity, possibility of slides, the rate and 

 costs of the work, the method of excavating and building embank- 

 ments are nowadays founded upon science. 3 The building of tun- 

 nels, which formerly were driven only through firm, steadfast rock, 

 has become possible also in heavily pressed ground only through 

 the scientific development of tunneling; thus at the present time 

 extraordinary success has been reached. 4 Dredging machines, 

 drills, the foundation of shafts by means of compressed air, the iron 

 bridges, have become complete parts of modern technical building 

 only in connection with railroad construction. The finer geodetic 

 instruments have been invented with the problem of tracing which 

 the railroad construction required. Metallurgy has entered into a 

 wholly new stage; iron, so important for the construction of build- 

 ings, bridges, machines, vehicles, has been introduced into life. 

 If the railroad engineers have made copious use of the results of 

 geological research in judging the formation of the soil or the con- 

 struction of tunnels, they surely have, on the other hand, also assisted 

 this science to an inspection into the structure of the surface of the 

 earth^ which under other circumstances could not have been attained 

 without great difficulties. Also the electrotechnic is a child of the 

 railroad period. Without it the magnificent development of the 

 railroads would not have become possible; but, without the con- 

 tinuous demands by the railroads, the electrotechnic would not have 

 reached its present high degree. Enormous progress has been made 

 within the few decades from the first application of electricity to 

 giving signals (1840, Great Western in, England, and 1847, Buckau- 

 Magdeburg) to the first vessel driven by electricity (Werner Siemens, 

 1879), and the first electric railroad (1887, in America). To appre- 

 ciate the powerful incentives which the railroads proved to be to 

 the construction of machines, it suffices to compare the renowned 

 locomotive Rocket, with which Stephenson gained the first prize, 

 in 1829, a vehicle of 4.5 tons, with the locomotive of our days, 

 whose colossal weight amounts to 240 tons. The construction of 

 the means of transportation has been raised for some decades from 



1 Rzlha, Ei.enbahn-Unlcr-und Obcrbau, 1. Band, Wien, 1876, S. 90. 

 * Freiherr von Weber, Die Schule des Eisenbahnwesem, 1857, S. 18. 

 3 Kzlha, S. 91. 

 4 Mackensen, Tunndbau, 2. Aufl. 1902, S. 4. 



