1934-09-04

Engineering & Building NATIONAL

PHYSICAL

LABORATORY

Annual Inspection Held

MANY DEMONSTRATIONS

The annual inspection of the National Physical Laboratory by the General Board took place re- cently, when the numerous visitors were received by Sir F. Gowland) Hopkins, President of the Royal Society and Chairman of the Board,} the Rt. Hon. Lord Rayleigh, F.R.S., Chairman of the Exccutive Com- mittee, and Sir Joseph E. Pelavel, K.B.E., D.Sc., F.R.S., the Director of the Laboratory,

As is usual on these occasions, all departments of the Laboratory were open to inspection by the visi-j tors, who were able to see the work! in progress or interesting experi-| ments arranged to illustrate the principles and the methods of operation of the apparatus ployed,

em-

Of these the most important is, perhaps, the new acoustics labora- tory of the Physics Department, which was open for inspection for the first time. It contains a rever beration room and a pair of trans- mission rooms, together with asso-

ciated measurement rooms. It pro- vides unique facilities for the study of the absorption and transmission of sound by means of large-scale specimens of different materials. The rooms, It may be noted, are Asymmetric both in plan and eleva- tion, and they will facilitate, in particular, the study of uoise trans- mission and abatement in relation to the design and construction of walls and floors of modern build. ings.

In the high-voltage laboratory cathode-ray oscillograph equipment for the study of transients at high voltages was shown, and in the William Froude Laboratory a model of a high-speed motor boat was shown under test for

resistance

and trim in the new tank.

THE CHINA MAIL, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1934.

Workmen are pletured pouring the first bucket containing six cubic yards of concrete for Norris dam on the Clinch river, north- east of Knoxville, where the first stage of the gigantle Tennessee valley authority development pashed by President Roosevelt, is taking form under Director Arthur E. Morgan.

Human Moles

Beat

The Mersey Eight Perilous Years They Worked

200 FEET UNDER WATER

(By J. D. S. ALAN)

SHANGHAI BUILDING Safe Scaffolding

HANDBOOK

Tenth Issue Of Useful Compendium

NOTE OF OPTIMISM

Warning To Builders In

America!

The Bulletin of the New York State Department of Labour men tions that orders have been issued upon manufacturers enjoining The China Architects and Builders the need for safe scaffolding. Compendium 1984. Tenth issue. That is, the writer says, all to Edited by J. T. W. Brooke, the good, but it is not the whole A.RI.B.A. and R. W. Davis.

story. Unless the worker doen North-China Daily News. and his part, accidents will continue Herald Ltd., Shanghai M$5.00. to happen.

Extension of building operations The employer may provide the outside the Settlement has made .an best equipment possible, but English translation of the Provint will fail unless it ja cial. Building Rules of the City properly used. "Here," it is point- Government of Greater Shanghai aled out. "is where the workers necessary addition to the new come to the picture. It would issue of the "China Architects and be difficult for the. foreman to in Builders Compendium". This, with sist on mon using the scaffold the full text of the International safely, because they will have Settlement and French Concession occasion to use it when he is not Building Rules, together with the around.

Land Regulations in the same Therefore, the workers must volume, should prove of great valus accept the responalbility of heing| to local architects and contractors, safe and working safe. They must, An Interesting commentary on in fact, get habit of safety—a the high cost of ballding is shown most valuable asset in their work- in the rising prices of varlousing career. A safe minded work- materials over the past ten years, man will see that everything is Portland cement and Chinese, oak in order." planks, for instance, have doubled

in cost since 1926, but taking ani |average of twenty common building| Įmaterials, "an increase of 50 per

cent. is recorded.

There is a note of optimism in the evidence set forth in an article on Land and Buildings of a sharp recovery in confidence in the future)

POLICE RESERVE

Orders for the Current

Week

Orders by the Hon. Mr. E. D. G

of Shanghai during the past year Walfe. C.M.G., Inspector General of

as compared with 1933. An in- Polica. crease in applications for building: permits and also an increase in the estimated value of new buildings erected bears this out.

Chinese Company

Training Course Part IL Al recruits of the Chinese Company (will attend at the Chinese Company

CENTRAL

THEATRE VA

SHOWING TO-DAY.

DAILY 2.30, 5.15, 7.15, & 9,80,

CHINESE PICTURE

"SPRING

TIDE"

COMMENCING WEDNESDAY, 5th SEPT.

Framed! Because

he dared to lovel

SHADOWS of SING SING

MARY BRIAN BRUCE CABOT ACOLUMBIA PICTURE

SALE! SALE! SALE! GRAND OPENING SALE!!!

PEKING RUGS & CARPETS, Cloisonne, Brass Ware, Glass and Lacquer Ware, etc.

REDUCED 20%

CALL and INSPECT. TEH SHUN HSING & CO.'

(PEKING)

11, WYNDHAM STREET.

Headquarters on Tuesday, Septem HONG KONG MARKET PRODUCE

on ber 4th at 17.90 hours for instruc of tion.

Indian Company

hours for instruction.

Chicken

APPROXIMATE RETAIL PRICES.

Technical Problems. Technical problems and data Istrengths and durability

materials, costs, construction, heat- ing, etc., form a large proportion Training Course Part II. All of the content of the Compendium recruits of the Indian Company Bearing in mind the hot weather residing at Kowloon will attend 4, of the past two months and the un-Chi Woo Street, Kowloon on Wed- questionable drop in labour effi-nesday, September 6th at 17.30 ciency caused by it, especially hours for instruction. Jamong office workers, it might be All recruits of the Indian Com-] suggested to the editors of the pany residing at Hong Kong will Compendium that advice and data attend Chinese Company Head- A screw was also shown working The eight million pounds, fog-the ground and prepare the way.

on the air-conditioning and cooling quarters, 17, Queen's Road Central in water in the new Lithgow pro-less, nightless, glass lined road tun.

The smaller tunnels enabled the of offices and residences would be on Thursday, September 6th at 17.30 Capons, Small peller tunnel.

In the Aerodyna-nel under the Mersey was opened engineers to open out on the big welcomed in the next edition. mics Department the compressed by the King on July 18.

tunnel at several points simul- An important part of the Com.

C. CHAMPKIN, air tunnel, which has been fully

Acting, D. S. P. (R.). It is the world's wonder tunnel. taneously, instead of simply driv-pendium is the exhaustive catalogue described in our columns, was open

of building and other materials it Hong Kong, Monday, Sept. 3, 1934. It is not the longest, but never ing from either bank. to inspection, and we

may also

Ibefore has man burrowed and lined The great moment of the vast contains. Local stocks of building mention the high-speed wind tun- tube of such diameter, except for scheme came on April 3, 1928, when supplies, interior fittings and mo- DU MAURIER MEMORIAL nel that is nearly completed and

short distances.

the late Sir Archibald Salvidge,dern furnishings can be easily will manke use of the air escaping

Nor is any other road tunnel fit-chairman of the Tunnel Committee, located, and reference or inquiry

The Governora of Harrow Geeze from the compresaed-air tunnelted with such elaborate devices for broke through the thin wall of rock made of agents and experts versed School have given permission for Pigeons, Canton.. when the pressure in the latter is safety, control and comfort. between the headings from either in everything constructional from a memorial to be placed in the

deep-well boring to the planning school chapel to Sir Gerald du Tarkeys, Cock The length of roadway from Old bank. Haymarket, Liverpool, .to Chester- Civic dignitaries from each side and operation of elevator services. Maurier, who was educated at street, Birkenhead, is 2.13 miles. shook hands through the break that] This year's Compendium is a de-the school.

This main through route accom-was to widen to a gigantic motor finite advance on previous issues The cost of the memorial will Snipe

road.

and will be the text book of the probably be defrayed in a large Pheasant There is a smaller tunnel, taking The roadway is borne on a con-year for every architect and con-measure by Sir Gerald's fellow-Qual

actors. Subscriptions are two lines, branching to the docksjerete platform across the middle of tractor."

not from the main way at each end.

confined to Old Harrovians.

being reduced.

Air velocities of the order of 950 ft. per second will be obtained in this tunnel. Two open-jet wind tunnels have recently been install- ed in the Aerodynamics Depart-) ment, the second being now in course of calibration. Research on high-pitch air-screws is in progress in the other open-jet tunnel.

modates four lines of vehicles.

At its deepest point the bottom of the tunnel is 170ft, below high Above the tunnel is 30 to water. STEEL HELMETS FOR 5ft. of rock, gravel and clay.

MINERS

The rock cover varies from 20ft. to a mere 3ft, 6in. The outer dia- meter of the tunnel is 46ft 8in.

Reducing Risk Of Injury

(the tunnel.

Gas Mains Blow Up Trouble came when the engineers were burrowing through the soft ground under Dale-street, Liver- pool, with its heavy buildings, traf-{ fic, trama and complicated system of drains and mains.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVENTORS Competition Offers Money Awards

In connection with the Thomas

At its deepest point the bottom

The human moles had emerged of the tunnel is 170ft, below high

from the rock and were using a Gray Memorial Trust, the Coun water. Above the tunnel is 30 to

ahield.

ell of the Royal Society of Arts Representatives of miners and 35ft, of rock, gravel and clay.

The shield was semi-circular with offers a prize of £100 to any per others employed at collieries of the The rock cover varies from 20ft.

son who brings to the notice of Powell, Duffryn Steam Coal Com-to a mere 8ft. Gin. The outer dia- diameter of nearly 47ft.

It weighed 200 tons and wue ad- the Judges appointed for the pur- pany, Limited, met at Cardiff re-meter of the tunnel is 46ft. 3in.

The total length of the tunnel vanced on steel rollers.

pose an invention, publication, or cently to discuss the attitude to be

When space had been excavated diagram which is considered to adopted by the miners towards the and its branches is 2.62 miles.

Jahead 24 hydraulic rams, capable be an advancement in the science action of the company in urging But the true story of the Mersey that the men underground should Tunnel is the drama of men bat of a propelling force of 2,400 tons, or competitor during the period use atcc! helmets to reduce to risk tling against and beating nature thrust it forward. The rams were January, 1, 1929 to December 31, of injury from falling stones in the nearly 200 feet down, with the river withdrawn and a new ring erected. 1984. Another prize of £100 is A 24in. water main was leaking offered for an essay on the cat course of their work,

threatening to tear into the work-

it into the soft filling of an unsas-ringe of heavy are cargoes dis- Mr. W. H. May, miners' agent ings like a tiger, roaring 28 and mines examiner at Pontypridd, sweeps away puny men and filling pected trench dug on orders of the cussing also deck and side open- Bald that he had worn the helmet their hard-won clearing with water, German Prince Rupert nearly 300 Ings. consistently for the last fifteen rock and mud.

months and would not again ex- When the job was thoroughly

mine a colliery without, one. The under way there were 1,700 men on meeting decided to accept the com- the pay-roll.

CANADIAN STEEL IMPORTS

years.

years ago, when he expected Crom- well to advance on Liverpool,

One night wet, loose earth burst"count" every vehicle entering the through the timber face,

tunnel

The water main burst, gas maing Every vehicle approaching the pany's proposal provided the com- It was 14 years ago that a com- pany supplied the helmets free of mittee ordered a report on the res-blew up, electric mains broke, toll booths passes under a beam of charge.

pective merits of a bridge and a plunged everybody into darkness, the light.

If the top of the vehicle is too tunnel to solve the problem. The and tramlines were sticking up in

high for the tunnel, the light is tunnel won hands down, ending asthe air.

A toll controversy that had raged for They had to close the street for broken and a bell rings.

Now almost everyone on three months while the engineers attendant then turns the vehicle ¡Mersey side is a pro-tunnel fas. set about the heart-breaking task back.

There are, telephones and fire- The Mersey Tunnel Act was of clearing up and making good. passed in 1925. On December 16 They overcame Prince Rupert's fighting equipment at frequent in- The Canadian Bureau of Statis of that year, Princess Mary started unfortunate legacy by pumping the tervals, and the tunnel is under tics at Ottawa has issued a report the great work by turning on the whole thing solid with cement. endless patrol. showing that the total Imports of compressed air for the drills at the During the whole operations The tunnel passes 4,150 cars an iron products in 1983 were valued first shaft at George's Dock, Liver-pumps cleared $3 million tons of hour, spaced 100ft apart and water. To-day a mere 17 gallons a travelling at 20 miles an hour. At at $60,734,895, against $67,348,832 pool.

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