ON STANDARblf^ATlON IN BRITISH ENOINEEKING rRACTICE. 34^ 



Conslilution and Method of Procedure. 



As tar as possiljle tlio Coniniittees have been so constiluted aa lu eui- 

 btdc'e at»ong their numljer representatives of all interests involved — th6 

 Government Departments', tlie consulting engineers, manufacturers, users, 

 contractors, and piUchasers. It has thus been practically ensured that 

 those serving on the Committees can speak with full knowledge and 

 authority on the subjects dealt with. 



Tn order to obtain the necessary information upon which to base their 

 decisions, and to have access to a wider source of information than would 

 be Available were it restricted to Members serving on the Committees, care- 

 fully prepared lists of questions for circulation to users and manufacturers 

 throughout the country have, in many cases, been issued, and the replies 

 to these questions have been collated. On the results of these inquiries 

 (he Committee's decisions are largely based. 



In a number of instances the Coannittee have not been content with 

 NVritten replies, but ha%e invited before them representatives of the trades 

 concerned, in order to obtain evidence in greater detail ; and in sohtb 

 instances meetings of a more public nature have been convened by fclM 

 Sectional Committees in order that a more widely expressed opinion may 

 be obtained on different points imder discussion. 



The specifications are usually, in the tirst instance, drafted by a Sub- 

 Committee appointed by eacli Sectional Committee, and when complet'od 

 nre sent up to tlic Sectional C0mmitt(>e for their careful consideration. 

 All Specifications, after passing the Sectional Comauittees, have fMrtl>er to 

 go before the Ma,in Committee prior to their publication. By this means 

 the la}x)ui-s of the vai-ious Committees are correlated, hasty legislation is 

 nvoided, ami as far as possible the best interests of user and producer are 

 safeguarded. 



It was felt from the first that a most important point in any proptr 

 s-scheme of standai-disation was to avoid the danger of either crippling 

 invention or perpetuating forms or processes which in course of time might 

 become obsolete. Accordingly it was recognised in the first motion made 

 at the Institution of Civil Engineers that there must be provision for a 

 continuance of the existence of the body which might be formed to take 

 the original standards in band. It was not enough to standardise the 

 (most approved forms and processes of manufacture, but it was urgently 

 itecessary to provide for future inipi'ovements. 



To carry out *his view the Main and Sectional Committees continue 

 ill existence after their reports have been made, and an opportunity is 

 ■afforded once a year to the Sectional Committees of revising the Specifica- 

 tions issued by the<m. This 'ensures that the Standard Specifications are 

 kiept thoroughly in liaie with the progress made from time to time in 

 •cngineeiing science, and tiliat there ds no stereotyping of design or prac- 

 tice. 



Standardisation of SJutpe imid Form. 



■Stalydardiiiation anay roughly lae divided into two classes — that dealing 

 with shape and form, and tihat dealing with anaterial. In regard to shape 

 «wd form, the guiding principle of the Committee has been to place at the 

 •disposal of the eiigineer sudi shapes and sizes as may reasonably l)e needed 

 i|)y him to smeet the geaieral i:(iquii'ements of everyday work, and they 



