86 THE EX-CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF WORKS. 



Reform Club, but without much success, and Mr. Boyle 

 was ultimately invited to submit a scheme of ventilation. 

 The task presented many difficulties, but Mr. Boyle 

 grappled with them in his usual self-reliant manner, finally 

 presenting a carefully thought-out plan which was approved 

 by the Committee and architects, the order being given for 

 the work to be forthwith executed. After a lengthened 

 trial and a series of test experiments under the supervision 

 of the Right Honourable Acton Smee Ayrton, ex-Chief 

 Commissioner of Works, and the ventilation committee, 

 of which Sir James Caird was chairman, it was 

 agreed that all the conditions of the guarantee had 

 been fulfilled and that the ventilation was satisfactory. 

 During the final completion of the work, Mr. Boyle was 

 considerably indebted to Mr. Ayrton for the assistance which 

 he rendered him, and for the valuable suggestions which, 

 from that gentleman's great practical knowledge of the 

 subject, he was enabled and was good enough to make. 

 Without such help Mr. Boyle frankly confesses that though 

 the ventilation might have fulfilled the requirements men- 

 tioned in the agreement, yet it would not have been the 

 success it proved to be. Mr. Boyle has since been presented 

 with a valuable testimonial from the Architects, expressing 

 their entire satisfaction with the svstem. 



