64 THE ADDRESSES, LECTURES, ETC., OF 



be traceable to another part of the machine, either as sensible 

 heat or as developed force. It would lead me too far to enter 

 here into particulars on this question, which is one not without 

 interest for the physicist and the mechanical engineer. 



There are several other subjects I should have gladly mentioned 

 were I not afraid of encroaching unduly upon our time ; some of 

 these will, however, be brought before the section in the form of 

 distinct papers, and will, I trust, lead to interesting discussions. 



INAUGUKAL ADDRESS 



Of 0. WILLIAM SIEMENS, D.C.L., F.E.S.,* 



President of the Society of Telegraph Engineers, 



Delivered on February 28, 1872. 



GENTLEMEN, In addressing you at this, the first General 

 Meeting of the Society of Telegraph Engineers, I have, above all 

 things, to express to you my sincere thanks for the great honour 

 you have bestowed upon me in electing me your President. It is 

 not for me to question the wisdom of your choice, although I must 

 confess that it took me completely by surprise ; I must rather 

 endeavour to justify your confidence by doing my best to promote 

 the interests of the infant society. Some years must necessarily 

 elapse before our Society can have given substantial proof of its 

 useful action, and by that time this chair will have been filled by 

 other members of your body, but our future prosperity will be 

 influenced in a great measure by the direction in which we shall 

 start upon our pilgrimage. Let us hope, therefore, that our joint 

 efforts may lead us in the direction of true scientific and practical 

 advancement. 



But before we set out upon our labours it behoves us fairly to 

 consider whether there is need or scope for a Society of Telegraph 



* Excerpt Journal of the Society of Telegraph Engineers, Vol. I. 1872, pp. 19 

 -31. 



