PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 263 



so also the separation of tasks which require but a nominal period of training 

 would increase the rate of remuneration available for the really skilled man. 



I have drawn attention to some of the difficulties which must be solved if 

 the country is to emerge from the present crisis prosperous or even solvent. 

 There is little doubt that an elucidation is possible, but it can only be evolved 

 by the honest and intelligent collaboration of all parties concerned, a task 

 rendered difficult or impossible by mutual distrust and class hatred. Class 

 differences there are, and always will he ; they exist as the result of breeding, 

 education, and environment, but they do not extend to the fundamental 

 characteristics of humanity. Many dukes and m.any miners arc lazy ; most 

 capitalists and most trade unionists are greedy; all men, with a few exceptions, 

 are selfish. The war has shown that lazy, greedy, and selfish men will die 

 or even work for their country in a great exigency, but there is a limit to and 

 a reaction after any profound emotional stimulus, and the present unrest and 

 dissatisfaction are but normal symptoms. A satisfactory e^^^onomic system can 

 only be based on natural human impulses, and of these the most fundamental 

 is self-preservation, or, more generally, self-interest. Increased production is 

 at the pre.'ient moment the most pressing national nee<l, but it will become 

 effective only when for every man increased production becomes the talisman 

 by which /n's paper wages can be turned to gold. 



The following- Keport was then received : — 

 Report on Complex Stress Distribution. — See Reports, p. 465. 



In the afternoon a Sectional Visit was paid to the Tramways Genterating 

 Station. 



WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10. 

 The following Papers were read : — 



1. Account oj the British Tanks used in the War. 

 By Sir Eustace Tennyson D'Eyncourt, K.C.B.^ 



The paper began with a brief account of the earlier history of tanks and 

 inventions leading up to the idea of the use of taiiks. 



It then showed how, owing to the fact that the war had become one of 

 position, it became necessary to devise some means of breaking through the 

 enemy lines, and the idea of machines which could cross trenches and destroy 

 machine-gun positions and other defences presented itself very strongly to 

 many who were thinking of the tactics to be devised -with this in view. 



The use of armoured cars by the Royal Naval Air Service led some officers 

 of that Service to bring the matter before the First Lord of the Admiralty, 

 Mr. Churchill, who took up the idea and established a Landship Committee at 

 the Admiralty to investigate the question of building landships. 



The Committee carried out many experiments, some Avith tractors of agricul- 

 tural type obtained from the United States and other devices which finally 

 led to the War Office laying down certain requirements; which had to be 

 embodied in the design of a machine-gun destroyer. 



The design was worked out concurrently with other experiments, and finally 

 'Mother Tank' was built fo fulfil the War Office requirements, and went 

 through its trials early in 1915. 



After this further tanks were ordered, and the paper described the various 

 types and the considerations which led up to their adoption, giving the technical 

 details. ,....., .... . .■ - 



^Mentfon was made of the actions in which the different tanks were used, 



1 See Enr/ineering , Sept. 12, 1919. p. 334. 



Y 2 



