August 25, 1911] 



SCIENCE 



233 



their interpretation. The policy of the 

 Zeitschrift in using such curves is to be 

 recommended to the instructor when the 

 subjects of velocities and accelerations are 

 under consideration. 



A common practise in approximating is 

 that of using small angles, their sines, and 

 tangents synonymously. 



The checking up process stands out 

 prominently ; not only do the engineers say 

 they believe in it but they also practise it 

 as well. Instructors of mathematics may 

 easily learn a lesson here. 



The definite character of the results is 

 evident; the authors get down to funda- 

 mental principles, remain clear through- 

 out a discussion, and finish with concrete 

 results. 



Here and there is found an article on a 

 special subject which will tax the mathe- 

 matical capacity of most engineers, per- 

 haps be far above their heads. Such are 

 generally contributed by professors in uni- 

 versities and mark the limit of the mathe- 

 matical field for engineers. We find a 

 rare use of an elliptic integral, a Fourier 

 series, homogeneous coordinates, partial 

 differential equations, and the fundamental 

 principles of the calculus of variation. 

 However, these are rare and the articles 

 using such will be read by but a very 

 limited number of engineers. 



A comparison of the articles in the dif- 

 ferent journals will show for the American 

 the strong preponderance of the civil engi- 

 neering, while the foreign journals lean 

 more to the mechanical engineering side. 

 In none of them do the articles go into the 

 details of the projects in electrical engi- 

 neering. The articles in this latter field 

 are mostly of a descriptive nature, in which 

 electric power installations, machines and 

 appliances are discussed. Whenever math- 

 ematics is used in the electrical engineering 

 field it verges, on the more "formidable" 



mathematics of mathematical physics, com- 

 bined with a liberal sprinkling of the com- 

 plex variable and differential equations. 

 The list examined can hardly be said to 

 contain a journal specializing in the field 

 of electrical engineering. However, if the 

 stronger journals in the electrical field be 

 examined they will be found to strongly 

 emphasize the descriptive features of the 

 field; and a conclusion which may be 

 drawn from this fact is that even the rudi- 

 ments of research and design in that field 

 would immediately involve mathematics in 

 the principles of which the average engi- 

 neering major has had but little training. 

 Articles going into these details would not 

 be read as the more general articles in the 

 other fields of engineering are read. 



The technical literature also reflects the 

 highly developed scientific spirit of Ger- 

 many, which has permeated into aU the 

 branches of its technology. The conti- 

 nental journals, especially the German, 

 start with fundamental engineering prin- 

 ciples and make a liberal use of the cal- 

 culus and other branches of mathematics; 

 so that when a discussion is completed it is 

 evident that a piece of work worth while 

 has been thoroughly done. On the other 

 hand, the American attitude of wanting to 

 get things done in short order is also 

 plainly evident; the American engineer 

 will generally not take the time to work 

 out a bit of theory in the details of which 

 the German engineer will revel. He will 

 use — and with a full significance of their 

 purpose — the results laboriously obtained 

 by others, thus specializing on the applica- 

 tions. A formula developed with much 

 care from fundamental principles by his 

 foreign brother will appeal to an American 

 engineer as something which shovild imme- 

 diately be put to practical use. 



The English journals take as much pride 

 in the design of their battleships and ves- 



