ON THE USE OF STEEL FOR STRUCTURAL PURPOSES. 157 



Report of the Committee, consisting of Dr. A. W. Williamson, Pro- 

 fessor Sir William Thomson, Mr. Bramwell, Mr. St. John Vin- 

 cent Day, Dr. C. W. Siemens, Mr. C. W. Merrifield, Dr. Neilson 

 Hancock, Mr. F. J. Abel, Mr. J. E. Napier, Captain Douglas 

 G-alton, Mr. Newmarch, Mr. E. H. Carbutt, and Mr. Macrory, 

 appointed for the purpose of watching and reporting to the 

 Council on Patent Legislation. 



This Committee begs leave to report that, with the exception of the 

 introduction of a Bill on the Patent Law by a private member, which 

 Bill was not proceeded with, there has not been any attempt at legisla- 

 tion on the subject. The Committee request that they may be reap- 

 pointed. 



Report of the Committee, consisting of Mr. W. H. Barlow, Mr. H. 

 Bessemer, Mr. F. J. Bramwell, Captain Douglas G-alton, Sir 

 John Hawkshaw, Dr. C. W. Siemens, Professor Abel, and Mr. E. 

 H. Carbutt (Sec), appointed for the purpose of considering the 

 Use of Steel for Structural Purposes. 



Owing to the action of your Committee, the Board of Trade requested 

 two of your members, viz., Sir John Hawkshaw, F.R.S., and Mr. W. H. 

 Barlow, F.R.S., to co-operate with Colonel Yolland, "to consider whether 

 it is practicable to assign a safe co-efficient for steel." 



After a long and careful consideration they, on March 19, 1877, re- 

 ported as follows : — 



" We assume that with steel, as with iron, the engineer will take care 

 that, as well as the required strength, he secures a proper amount of 

 ductility. 



" Having given the subject our best consideration, we recommend that 

 the employment of steel in engineering structures should be authorised by 

 the Board of Trade under the following conditions, namely : — 



" 1. That the steel employed should be cast steel or steel made by 

 some process of fusion, subsequently rolled or hammered, and that it 

 should be of a quality possessing considerable toughness and ductility, 

 and that a certificate to the effect that the steel is of this description 

 and quality should be forwarded to the Board of Trade by the engineer 

 responsible for the structure. 



" 2. That the greatest load which can be brought upon the bridge or 

 structure, added to the weight of the superstructure, should not produce 

 a greater strain in any part than 6£ tons per square inch. 



" In conclusion we have to remark that in recommending a co- efficient 

 of 6| tons per square inch for the employment of steel in railway struc- 

 tures generally, we are aware that cases may and probably will arise when 

 it will be proposed to use steel of special make and still greater tenacity, 

 and when a higher co-efficient might be permissible ; but we think those 



