Il. W. H. WARREN. 
to increase the advantages of these meetings, and I trust that 
you will accord to me the same loyal support which you have 
given to my predecessors. 
Since I was last at these meetings an Engineering Society has 
been formed at the University for the graduate and undergraduates 
in Engineering, and as the former are members of this Society 
and have contributed to its proceedings, I have no doubt that the 
University Society will act as a feeder to our membership, just as 
the graduates act as feeders to the ranks of the profession. The 
importance of a sound scientific knowledge as a basis of engineer- 
ing practice, is so universally acknowledged, that there is no 
necessity for me to enlarge upon it to-night. In order to succeed 
a8 an engineer, it is indispensable that a man should have a 
_ thorough knowledge of the scientific principles which underlie the 
practice of his profession. It is therefore with great pleasure 
that I am able to say, that the munificent gift of our noble bene- 
_ factor Mr. P. N. Russell, will enable us to make the future train- 
ve ing of our engineering graduates exceptionally complete. It was 
fe amy - privilege to meet Mr. P. N. Russell when I was last in 
a England, and I am particulary gratified in the fact that our 
_ Engineering School will in the future bear his honoured name, 
os _ which will go down to posterity not merely in connection with the 
s wealth which he so generously bestowed, but also as the most 
___ Suecessful of the pioneer engineers in Australia, and further, as 
one who bestowed his wealth during his life for the benefit of 
ce the future engineers of this country. During my recent trip, 
- I devoted myself to the study of the methods employed and the 
works produced by engineers in America, England, and Europe, 
and at the request of my engineering friends, I propose to night 
to briefly lay before you some of the information I have collected. 
Iwill first direct your attention to the subject of railways: 
_ The Western Trans-continental Railway crosses the Sierra N evada 
Tange of mountains, reaching the summit level 7,017 feet above 
-Sea-level, at a distance of one hundred and ninety-five miles from 
San Francisco. The ruling gradient on this line is one in forty- 
