INTRODUCTORY PROCEEDINGS. xxxv 



There are yet a number of young men in our shipyards and engine building 

 estabUshments to whom our proceedings would be of great advantage, and it is 

 desired that you shall bring them into our fold for their benefit as well as ours. 



The moderate dues hardly pay for the pubUshing of the proceedings, and the 

 better and more numerous the proceedings the greater the cost. I suggest that for 

 the future benefit of the Society such of you as may deem it feasible and wise shall 

 become Life Members, thus creating a fund which, as the years go by, will add to 

 our regular income. 



The Treasurer's report as printed shows clearly our financial condition, and at 

 its meeting yesterday the Council wisely reduced some of the nominal assets, as 

 was reported to you. 



There have been no special advances in the art and science of ship and engine 

 building, for at the present time we seem to be in a period of development. Progress 

 is being made in the application of a combination of reciprocating and turbine 

 engines for'marine use, and of a combination of fast running turbines with gearing 

 for slow going vessels. Further developments in these directions are awaited with 

 great interest, as will be also the use of producer gas and gasoline engines of larger 

 units than have heretofore been tried. 



Our Navy, in importance and quality, and in size of ships, if not in number, 

 compares favorably with the navies of the world. 



Following in some respects the example of the later great merchant ships built 

 abroad, battleships have increased in dimensions, displacement, speed and ordnance 

 to a remarkable degree. In this connection, the first paper of to-day's meeting, 

 written by our distinguished Honorary Member, Sir William White, whose career 

 as Naval Constructor in England is so well known, presents views on the growth 

 of war vessels and on the eternal question — gims versus armor, armor versus guns. 

 This paper will particularly interest not only those of you who are responsible for 

 our Navy, but those who are directly responsible for the vessels of all other navies. 

 I commend it to your careful consideration. 



There has been a great development in the past few years in that branch of 

 mechanics which may be termed aeronautics. The improvements in both dirigibles 

 and aeroplanes, particularly in the latter, have been marvelous. It is but five or six 

 years since man made a flight of a few feet with a heavier-than-air machine. During 

 the past year flights of distance and altitude have been made that were hardly 

 dreamed possible but a short time ago. To what uses these wonders of the air 

 may come it is dangerous to predict, more particularly as to their limitations, 

 for in the Hght of the achievements of the past quarter of a centur}"; it is a bold man 

 or foolish one, as you may look at it, who says that any particular accomplishment 

 is impossible. 



Unfortunately for true scientific progress, the recent aeronautic exhibitions 

 have been too much of the hippodrome order to command our highest respect. 



Though submarines have accompHshed great feats, experiments are still being 

 made to add to their efficiency. 



