188 REPORT—1868. 
artist or to the agriculturist ; but all technical education should be accompanied by 
asound knowledge of the elementary laws of mechanics. Indeed I would have this 
Imowledge instilled into the mind of the student over and over again until it 
became almost a part of his nature; and I make this observation on an experience 
of five and forty years. I have known some of our greatest engineers and most 
eminent philosophers make the most discreditable errors through not having been 
thorougly acquainted with the elementary laws of mechanics, which, I repeat, 
ought to form the basis of all technical education*. Before any engineer would 
entrust a young man, however well educated, with any work of the smallest im- 
portance, he would require that he should have had some practical acquaintance 
with the branch to which that work belongs. I think, also, that the theory on 
which the technical education of the Royal Engineers is conducted ought to be 
modified, and that they ought to have a certain amount of practical apprenticeship 
in the great operations they have to carry on; as, for instance, in the construction 
of forts, and especially before taking charge of gun and other factories. I am well 
aware that Mr. Whitworth, who has made such a princely endowment for tech- | 
nical education, feels strongly on this point, and he has expressed his conviction _ 
that if this principle were adopted vastly greater economy and efliciency for the 
public service would be attained. 
Looking at the achievements of Sir William Armstrong and Mr. Whitworth in 
revolutionizing the construction of artillery, we have an example of what can be 
effected by the concentration of the minds of accomplished mechanicians upon 
special subjects. 
In conclusion I may say that, beyond all these things, we should never lose sight 
of that pursuit to which a powerful Commission has directed its attention—I refer 
to the application of machinery to the economical working and ventilation of 
mines; and this being accomplished, the economic use of the products of those 
mines ought next to engage attention, whether as applied to the working of our 
manufactories and the turning of our spindles, to cheering the poor man in his 
humble home, or to propelling through the water those ironclads which represent 
the might and genius of this great country—the might they may represent, the 
genius they caricature. 
On the Mechanism for utilizing and regulating Convict Labour. 
By C. J. APrLesy. 
“ 
On R. W. Thomson’s Patent Road Steamer. By Professor Arncumr. 
An Improved Machine for Drawing-off, Measuring, and Cutting Cloth and 
other Materials for Manufacturing Purposes. By C, Bryn. 
* Asa further illustration of the want of elementary knowledge, I would allude to the 
Aéronautical Society for promoting aérial locomotion. In this Society are to be found the 
names of men of considerable scientific and mechanical reputation ; but it may be easily 
shown how vain, in any practical sense, is the pursuit wpon which they are engaged. 
Let us see what amount of power would be requisite to propel a balloon capable of sup- 
porting the weight of one person only. 
For this purpose I will assume a perfectly calm atmosphere, also that a gas can be obtained 
with sufficient tension, but without weight, and that the balloon can be made of a material 
so light that its weight may also be omitted from the calculation. 
With these favourable and impracticable conditions, it would require a balloon of 16 feet 
diameter to support the weight of a man in our atmosphere. 
To propel this at the speed of 20 miles per hour (about one-half of that of an express 
train) would require an engine of at least five hovse-power. 
It may, however, be said that.a spherical form is not the best adapted for displacing the 
air; on the other hand, I would observe that this only holds in dead calms—that when 
the course of the balloon is across the current of the atmosphere the resistance would be 
increased in a much greater ratio. 
