138 FORESTRY IN EASTERN RUSSIA. 



Government engineer that it has been examined by him 

 arid found satisfactory. The law applies to railway loco- 

 motives, steamboats, and stationary engines alike. An 

 engineer employed in the construction of such engines 

 gave to me details of one case which occurred in connection 

 with an engine which he erected, and told me it was illus- 

 trative of what is of frequent, if not of constant occur- 

 rence. 



The engine was erected ; he sent a specification of its 

 power, &c., to the inspector, and along with this the usual 

 gratuity ; the gratuity was a large one, and in due course 

 there came a certificate that the engine had been examined, 

 and everything found to be in accordance with the specifica- 

 tions. But it was requisite that the certificate of approval 

 should bear the certification of three officials connected 

 with the police, that they had been present when the 

 inspection was made. The two papers, the specification 

 and the certificate of the inspector, were next sent to the 

 police office, and along with them a comparatively trifling 

 gratuity. And these were in due course returned duly 

 attested, signed, and sealed, though neither inspector nor 

 police officials had ever seen the engine in question, or 

 gone to see it. And had the boiler, within a week or less, 

 exploded, destroying life and property to any extent, that 

 certificate would have protected the constructing engineer 

 from all penal consequences.* 



* Some one on reading this may feel prompted to say, ' Thank God we have no such 

 rascality in Britain.' If it be so, give God the thanks but is it so? Since my return 

 from Russia I have read the following in a Scottish newspaper : ' The article above 

 recalls something that happened ten years ago in an old-fashioned town in Fife, where 

 I was visiting. Having called on my friend, I found him engaged, so I said I would 

 just take a walk to the bay, and see what was doing at the building yard. On passing 

 it I observed a large steamer on the stocks, and all but ready for the painter. As she 

 looked a fine craft, I walked up the plank, or gangway, and got on deck. It happened 

 to be the dinner hour, and there were only one or two 'prentice boys walking about. I 

 first stepped to the stern, examining all very carefully, then passed the 'prentice, while 

 walking forward to the bow. On passing I called his attention to the sides of two 

 rivet-holes, where there were two cracks fully two inches in length. Young as the boy 

 was, he knew what he was after, and in answering me, he said, such holes or cracks 

 could not be helped, on account of the iron plates being so bad, and they were caused 

 in punching them, as it was far too expensive to bore them. I asked, " Is the bottom 

 of the ship built of the same material ?" to which he said, "Yes, and some not so good; 

 but" when it is puttied and painted it is never seen ! " However, I said nothing. 

 After I had left him I saw him running on shore, but I just thought he was hurrying 

 off to his dinner. However, in ten minutes I saw the shipbuilder himself coming 



