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THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



iSkptember, 



In (he above table we have added to the government returns the dimensions of the engines. 



has been upon, and if it be possible to obtain it through the govern- 

 ment engineers, let us know what was the cause of so much delay in 

 the repairs as appears in the returns, and whether the repairs were 

 executed by the government or the engineers. We shall then have 

 some materials from which to judge of the comparative merits of 

 each vessel. We shall also be able to appreciate which engines are 

 the most serviceable — whether the beam or direct action engine be 

 preferable. It is time, indeed, that this question should be settled, for 

 government have now had, or ought to have, some experience on the 

 subject. We know that the beam engine is still the favourite with 

 most of our principal engineers, il not all of them ; nevertheless, they 

 all manufacture direct action engines, and several of them have taken 

 out patents. If you ask why they manufacture them, they will tell 

 you the government will have them, and they must comply. 



We perfectly agree with Mr. Gordon as to the demerits of the late 

 system of contracting, and think it requires great reformation. Mr. 

 Gordon, in the character of a disappointed candidate, makes fierce 

 onslaught upon it, and deals in home charges, on the Admiralty 

 mismanagements, which is palpable. Hitherto the system of contract 

 has iiad all the appearance of favouritism, and if persisted in must lie 

 open to tile same imputation for the future. We are not, however, 

 inclined, neither does Mr. Gordon seem to be, at present, to throw 

 the tenders open for public competition; but we would hue the 

 Government make application to all those firms which are known for 

 their workmanship, whether in London, Liverpool, Scotland, or else- 

 where. Mr. Gordon tells us that 



" The manner in which tenders are called for, opened, and treated, is 

 worthy of some notice. The contracts for marine engines are made in a 

 manner quite peculiar, unlike all other contracts for the public service. They 

 are made at that office in the Admiralty where no other contracts are made 

 for any of the many supplies and stores for the navy. 



" The tenders are, or have often been, opened not in one day and hour, hut 

 without regard to the strict rules of tender and contract known and prac- 

 tised in other departments of Government. The clause sometimes thought 

 necessary for protecting the public, viz. that the Board does not bind itself 

 to take the lowest tender, has not been inserted in the application, and the 

 lowest tenderers have been disappointed. 



" After tenders have been given in, and after some of the contracts have 

 been made, favoured ones of these very contractors have been allowed to 

 tender for more engines, as in the year 1840, when a London house, having 

 obtained an order for two or three pairs of engines, obtained a further order 

 for two more pairs of engines in the following October by reducing their 

 tender, making orders for five pairs of engines, &c. at one time ; no other 

 engineers having had any chance of amending their tenders, or of offering 

 for these other engines." 



Mr. Gordon gives us six causes for the inefficiency of so many new 

 steamers as appears in the face of the Parliamentary returns, viz.: 



" 1st. The novel principle of construction of engines thought necessary for 

 accommodating them to the limited engine-room. 2nd. The attempt to have 

 light engines in ships which must afterwards have ballast to keep them 

 upright. 3rd. Defects in the material and workmanship. 4th. Incompe- 

 tency of ships' engineers appointed by the Admiralty. 5th. ' Quarter-deck ' 

 interference. 6th. Some unavoidable disaster. I believe that all of these 

 may be causes of mischief, hut the sixth cause suggested does not seem to 

 have effected the evils so glaringly apparent on the Parliamentary returns. 

 The first two suggested causes are discussed above. The third appears also 



to have some application. But for any one to attempt to account for such 

 heavy repairs and loss of service by the fourth and fifth, and to lay the blame 

 on engineers afloat and officers in command, would only show a bad selection 

 of the one, and an inexcusable interference of the other." 



We perfectly agree with Mr. Gordon as to the necessity of a higher 

 rating fur engineers in the Navy, with so many engineering offices 

 connected with that department, and the demand for engineering 

 talent which exists there, we think it is absolutely necessary that pro- 

 per measures should be taken to secure the services of the educated 

 members <f the profession. The rating of another class of scientific 

 officers in the navy could not but fail to promote that high standing 

 which the navy is taking as an educated profession, while the many 

 subsidiary advantages which would accrue from having the services of 

 engineers available requires no comment. 



As to that subject upon which so much reluctance has hitherto been 

 exhibited, a return of the consumption of coals, no difficulties it seems 

 to us stand in the way. It can surely be told how many tons of coals 

 are pot on board a government vessel, and the description of them, at 

 any rate we cannot see why returns given by the officers of the private 

 Atlantic steamers cannot be given by those of government vessels. 

 As Mr. Gordon observes, a difference of one pound of coal per horse 

 power per hour would make a difference to the country of £ 10,000 a 

 year. We think an annual return should be made imperative. 



We have the returns of duty of Cornish engines, and accurate 

 returns of the consumption of railway engines, and weluiow the eco- 

 nomy which has resulted from the experience thus affjrded. Annual 

 returns should be published, which would operate as a check upon the 

 coal owner and upon the engineer; and we do not see why a system 

 of premiums for economy iu the consumption of coals should not be 

 introduced among marine engineers as it has already worked with 

 go 1 effect upon the Belgian railways and some of the English. 



As we have already observed, before we can come to the same con- 

 clusii n as Mr. Gordon, we must have more extended returns, and 

 more accurate information. It is not fair to the parties to judge them 

 by what is now before us, and as Mr. Gordon appears to have had 

 something to do with obtaining the present returns, we hope in the 

 next session he will take care to prevail upon Captain Gore, or some 

 other member, to move for the extended information we have now 

 required. 



Account of the Museum of Economic Geology. By T. Sopwith, 

 F.G S. London: John Murray, 1843. 



The institution of this museum is an event which cannot but be 

 considered as most valuable to the engineer. It is a recognition by 

 the government of the great advancement of engineering science, and 

 of the influence which it has had in systematically developing the 

 resources of the country. The labours of the engineer have opened 

 up districts not before available, and the development of the means 

 of communication have now given the public an interest in every 

 locality. Ui.der such circumstances a knowledge of our mineral 

 treasures, and of their useful applications, is indispensable, and the 

 establishment of a museum was the most filling means for effecting 

 this. The establishmeut formed at Craig's Court, Charing Cross, cou- 



