NA TURE 



2-37 



THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 191 1. 



ENGINEERING ARTICLES IN THE 

 ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA. 

 Collection of Articles {loose sheets) dealing with 

 Engineering, from the New (nth) Edition of the 

 Encyclopaedia Britannica. (Cambridge : Univer- 

 sity Press, n.d.) 

 THE articles dealing with engineering- subjects, in 

 that portion of the new edition of the " Encyclo- 

 paedia Britannica " which ranges from aeronautics 

 up to irrigation, haye been issued separately for 

 the purposes of review. As a whole, the articles 

 attain a high standard of excellence, and the 

 ■writers are men of acknowledged authority. Some 

 of these articles have appeared in previous editions, 

 and are substantially reproduced ; but they have been 

 brought up to date in most cases. Many new sub- 

 jects have been dealt with in an interesting manner, 

 and the appended bibliographical references are gener- 

 ally of considerable value, and will guide in their 

 choice of authorities readers who desire to obtain 

 fuller information. As might be expected from the 

 necessity for extra condensation existing in encyclo- 

 paedic articles, there is a lack of due proportion on 

 the part of some authors in treating individual 

 branches of particular subjects. 



The article on aeronautics has special interest at 

 the present time, and deals fully with aerostation — 

 the construction and behaviour of machines which are 

 lighter than air. Aviation — the branch of aeronautics 

 which is devoted to flying machines heavier than air, 

 is treated very briefly under the heading of aero- 

 nautics, but is also discussed under " Flight and 

 Flying." This subdivision is arbitrary, and from the 

 engineering side it would be more convenient had 

 flying machines of all kinds been grouped together. 



The article on "Aqueducts" contains a compara- 

 tively brief account of modern practice, but ancient 

 works and historical facts have been. dealt with in 

 considerable detail. It is notable also that while 

 works connected with the water supply of Manchester 

 and Liverpool are described at length, no refer- 

 ence is made to the later and equally important works 

 carried out for Birmingham. The article on "Docks " 

 is of great interest and value, giving good informa- 

 tion as to most works of the kind; but it is strange 

 to find only the briefest descriptions of modern float- 

 ing dry-docks, although, as is well known, their 

 development in recent years has been remarkable. 

 Formerly graving docks were practically supreme ; 

 they have now become relatively less important, 

 especially in foreign ports, where floating docks are 

 to be found which are capable of lifting the largest 

 ships. 



Under the heading of "Canals" one would have 

 expected to find fuller reference to the facts disclosed 

 and suggestions made in connection with the recent 

 inquiry by a Royal Commission into the present con- 

 dition and use of British canals. The actual refer- 

 ence occupies only about a dozen lines, and looks 

 like an afterthought. A few of the most important 

 canal works of modern times are dealt with 

 NO. 2164, VOL. 86] 



in separate articles, including the works at Panama 

 and those incidental to the great enlargement of the 

 Kiel-Brunsbuttel Canal, now being carried out by 

 Germany, as a part of her naval strategy rather than 

 with a view to any commercial benefits to her mercan- 

 tile marine. In the treatment of certain subjects con- 

 siderable latitude appears to have been permitted to 

 writers, although the relative importance of these 

 subjects hardly justifies the prominence given to them. 

 In other cases there has been a degree of compression 

 which is to be regretted. Editorial control of such 

 technical matters is undoubtedly difficult, but it might 

 in many cases have been exercised with advantage. 

 The article on " Concrete," for example, deals with 

 a subject of enormous and increasing importance, 

 especially at a time when " ferro-concrete " construc- 

 tion — termed by the writer " steel-concrete " — is mak- 

 ing rapid strides, yet its discussion — excellent so far 

 as it goes — is compressed into five pages. On the 

 other hand, the discussion of " Fire and Fire Ex- 

 tinction " occupies more than three times as much 

 space. The latter subject is undoubtedly important, 

 but from an engineering point of view it has not the 

 relative importance which mere space measurement 

 would suggest. 



Apart from these criticisms on a few points of 

 detail, it is a pleasure to record the opinion that on 

 the whole the engineering articles constitute a valu- 

 able epitome of recent professional practice, and will 

 be of great value for purposes of reference. Nbt a 

 few of them are worthy of separate publication, the 

 treatment displaying both thoroughness and ability. 

 Some attain almost to the dignity of standard treatises 

 on the subjects discussed, and amongst these may be 

 mentioned the contributions of Dr. Unwin on 

 " Bridges and Hydraulics," Mr. Dugald Clerk's arti- 

 cle on "Gas Engines," Prof. Ewing's on "Air 

 Engines," and Mr. Milton's on " Boilers." In many 

 other articles modern practice is well described, and 

 new departments of engineering are illustrated. 



Special interest attaches to the articles on "Con- 

 veyors," "Elevators," and "Destructors," which deal 

 with engineering appliances that are essential to 

 the life and work of great centres of population. 

 The paper dealing with " Divers and Diving appara- 

 tus " is admirable in its clearness and completeness, 

 containing descriptions of recent improvements for 

 working at great depths below the surface of the sea. 

 Dredging is another subject which has been treated 

 at length, and with great ability, both in rela- 

 tion to the construction and maintenance of channels , 

 and harbours, and its applications for purposes of 

 scientific research. Diamond and gold mining are 

 dealt with by high authorities in a manner which the 

 general reader can understand. Coal and coal min- 

 ing are equally well handled. .\ large number of 

 shorter and less important articles are devoted to 

 descriptions of engineering details and processes. 

 Irrigation receives the attention it so well deserves, 

 excellent accounts being given of the great and bene- 

 ficial results obtained by British engineers in India, 

 Egypt, and elsewhere, as well as the work done by 

 foreign engineers in other countries. 



A few short biographies are included in the 



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