xxxviii PROCEEDINGS. 



The central institution will have a .corps of skilled 

 scientific men, and thoroughly equipped laboratories in which 

 can be solved the problems that perplex our local engineers, 

 manufacturers, miners, metallurgists, etc. Building stones, 

 woods, cements, iron and steel and all our local products that 

 may be used in the construction of bridges, roads, buildings, 

 piers, docks and other structures can be tested, and data of 

 inestimable value furnished to the Nova Scotia engineer. 

 Ores, coals, cokes, metallurgical processes can be tested and 

 investigated to the profit of the owner and of the province. 



In every branch of engineering, the practising engineer is 

 too frequently confronted with the uncomfortable fact that 

 basic data relating to many features of his work are either 

 lacking altogether, or are existent in very meager and more or 

 less intangible form. This unfortunate condition prevails 

 to-day, not so much on account of a dearth of opportunity ta 

 acquire the information as for other reasons. These appear 

 to be : first, that many engineers employed on works where 

 data of extreme value can be procured are, or consider them- 

 selves to be, too busy to take advantage f their opportunities, 

 continuing to depend upon the work of others; secondly, that 

 a large volume of important information, gathered at the 

 expense of much toil, but under very satisfactory circum- 

 stances, is kept for private use alone. Happily such- a selfish 

 spirit seems to be rapidly disappearing, and engineers to-day 

 more frequently publish the facts gained privately from 

 research, experiment and practice. 



In the realm of theoretical hydraulics, for instance, there 

 are many features of great importance which require accurate 

 demonstration, but which are frequently beyond the province 

 of the practising engineer. The field of research in this 

 branch of engineering alone is a broad one, and the new 

 school of science will have an opportunity to conduct trust- 

 worthy investigations the results of which should have a very 

 real value for the profession at large. 



We want to know among other things the percentage of 

 rainfall lost by evaporation in Halifax, the run-off from water 



