CHAPTER IX. 



EXPERIMENTS UPON THE TRANSVERSE STRENGTH OF 

 BRITISH OAK. 



BRITISH Oak timber being, as before stated, generally 

 recognised as the standard of quality, the greatest 

 possible care was taken in preparing the specimens of 

 the prescribed dimensions 2" X 2" X 84" for the experi- 

 ments to test its strength ; further, the deflections under 

 a weight of 390 Ibs., as also that at the crisis of breaking, 

 and the exact breaking weight each piece bore, were 

 all taken, the results being shown in the tables which 

 follow. It is hoped, therefore, that a sufficient guide is 

 thus afforded, not only for comparing its strength with 

 other woods, but also for determining the scantlings 

 required for architectural purposes : 



TABLE V. ENGLISH OAK. 

 Transverse Experiments. 



REMARKS. Nos. i and 4 broke with a moderate length of fracture ; 2, 5, and 6 with 

 9 to 15 inches and splinters in fracture. No. 3 was not completely broken asunder. 



