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THE ENGINEER AND MODERN CIVILISATION
"Fifty Years Of Useful Existence"
The phrase "The Engineer and Modern Civilisation," provides
a text, attractiveness of which has not been overlooked by those whose duty it is to prepare pre- sidential addresses or lectures on some generalised subject. It. has the advantages that the, ma- terial available for incorporation and comment is abundant and that if, careful selection la made, an essay, which is both instruc- tive and Sattering, especially when the audience is largely composed of engineers, can be. produced. For these reasons Sir Frank Smith was wise to choose this title for the seventh quadren- nial Gustave Canet Memorial Lecture, which he delivered be- fore the Junior Institution of Engineers on Thursday, June 28. And if it suggested that the sub- ject was not a very original one, it may be "pointed out that the body he was addressing was cele-
has hitherto been possible.. A direct result of this inquiring mind has been a more, and more penetrating examination of the structure of engineering materials" and a more and more intensive
become
search for the reasons for the different behaviour of those ma- terials under, värying conditions: or employment, The develop- "ments in civil, mechanical and. electrical engineering, which have takën place in recent years, and which
obvious on the most cursory examination, are largely the outcome of these in- vestigations. No less striking, however, are the changes, which these developments have brought about, and are bringing about, in that complex structure, which it is convenient to label modein civilisation.
Work of The Engineer These changes include the
brating fifty years of useful exis- . making available of almost "un-”
tence and that some review of what the engineer has done dur- ing that period was obviously called for. We may add that Sir Frank performed the task with an eloquence.and point of which a printed account can give little indication. and that the picture which he painted is well worth study.
Facts of Nature Engineering is an ancient art; and there still exist many im- portant works, which show that those who practised it were not lacking in inventiveness. But it is also clear, both from what is known of their deeds and writ- ings, that the pioneers obtained their results without any real scientific background and advan-" ced by the aid of experience rat- her than of knowledge. The mu deru engineer. on the other hand, studie's the inherent fact of nature, and directs his course by what he has discoveted from that examination. He may therefo. be said to be distinguished from those who have gone before by a certain deep-seated curiosity. He is not satisfied with knowing that one metal is harder than another. He wants to know the reason for the difference, realising that this Information will enable him to produce more useful structural materials than those already em- ployed and help him to build bet- "ter and more economically than
mited quantities of energy to ald man in the production of the commodities he requires for his existence. By improving the wa- ter supply and making better sanitation possible, they have done much to eradicate disease. Electricity has been utilised to disper the powers of darkness and to render communication easier between the widely separated parts of the globe. The safety of those whose business is on the sea has been increased by the same agent, which has also been stilled to provide entertainment and instruction for those who stay at home. Tools have been devised without which the co- struction of modern machines would be impossible and engines and equipment have been design- ed which enable the sea, the alr and the land to be covered at speeds and under conditions, which are astonishing, and yet which are accepted almost with- out comment. Food 'bf good qua- lity has been made available all
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 1934.
ENGINEERING AND
BUILDING
NOTES FROM EVERYWHERE
RECORDS FOR TESTING
GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS.
AND LOUDSPEAKERS
What appears to be the most complete and reasonably-priced set at frequency records for test- ing gramophone" pick-ups and load speakers, and for many other acoustle experiments, has recently been issued by Messrs. Synchro- phone Limited, 24, Berners-street, London, W.i. The set comprises ten
10-in. single-sided British- made records bearing the trade name Octacros, and covering a frequency range from 20 cycles
per
·BATTERSEA POWER
STATION
An informative and well-illust- rated brochure on the Battersea 'power station has been isstied by the Landon Power Companý prin- capaily, we should imagine, for the benefit of those whose duty or re- creation it may be to visit this ́example of modern electrical, mechancial and civil engineering practice. It is prefaced by a short history of the company it- self which, it may be recalled; is a suscessor of the London Eleat- ricity Joint Committee, (1920) Limited, this body having been, in its turn, promoted by ten of the
supply companies which mainly operate in the West end of London and the adjacent dist- ricts. It acquired by purchase the existing generating stations and transmission mains of the con- suituent companies and now oper- ates, in addition to Battersea, stations at Bow, Deptford, Grove Road and Willesdeh, from which the requirements of those under- takings are supplied. A number of the smaller stations have been closed and Bow and Grove Rosa are soon likely to share the same fate. It is also authorised to sup- ply railways, water works, docks, cabals and other bodies in its area direct and under these pa- wers transmits energy in bulk to the St. Marylebone Council Battersea itself, has, of course, been already described in these columns, but the pamphlet provides a useful concise account.
second to 7,000 cycles per second. The recordings are öf constant amplitude, and harmonic content is stated to be less than 10 per cent. for the lower frequen- · cles, up to 175 cycles per second. and less than 5 per cent. for the higher frequencies. "The frequen- cles up to 100 orcles are recorded in steps of 25 cycles. from 100. cycles to 200 cycles in steps of 25 cycles, from 200 cycles to 500 cycles In steps of 50 cycles, and from 500 cycles to 1300 cycles steps of 100 cycles the higher frequencies in stepa to 250 cycles. Five or six-die- rent frequencies are given' on each record, but on one record the whole recording is at 1,000 cycles, and on another only two frequen- cles. viz.. 5,000 cycles and 6.000 cycles, are recorded. This latter record is intended for use in adjust- ing filters designed to eliminate the disturbing noise due to "needle scratch: Any record," we under- stand; can be obtained separate- 17.-
Ife of the human being has beer extended from the forty-five years of half a century ago to the f- ty-eight years of to-day. These outstanding achievements, and
Borough
ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY -
GOES AHEAD
It was a very satisfactory and eftourdelig state of affairs to white Sir Hugo Hirst was able to refer, at the recent annual meet-
the year round and last, but not there are many others, are, tons of the General Electric Co., of
least, conditions in the factory, in the house, in the office and in the shop, have been improved. and the scandál of child labour, - which was a dark blot on buman existence not so many years ago, has almost completely disappear- ed. The results are that we work and play in circumstances cf greater amenity than in the past ages, and that the average
a very large extent, the work of the engineer; and he may well be proud of them. Nor can he be" denied the dream that great as the progress that he has thspired in the immediate past has been, there are even more magnificent victories to be won, and that the future will see stil greater ad- vances in the science and art to which he has dedicated himself.
For Constructural Work of Every
Description
Use Green Island Cement
TWO REFLEX TYPE ROTARY KILNS HAVING AN OVER ALL LENGTH OF 254 PAST. THESE KILNS ARE USED TO MANUFACTURE GREEN ISLAND ÖEMENT.
Inued by the
GREEN ISLAND CEMENT CO., LTD.
FLOO
EXOBANGN BUILDING
FULHAM POWER STATION
England, and the steady improve- ment in the company's general business, both at home and Over- seas, which started last Septem- ber and is still continuing. is a most heartening augury for the
future.
The demand for power plant of the engine-driven alternator type was a noticeable feature during the year, plant of this nature supplied or now in course of manufacture being destined for South Africa, Argentina, Palestine. Barbados, New Zealand, Cyprus, Manchukuo, India, Thibet, Macao, Persia and the Gold Coast.
Dorman Long's Achievement
On June 21 the laying of the Foundation Stone st, the Metro- polita Borough
Resistance Of Stone Flooring
The physical constants of sub- stances utilised for some specific purpose are often not known with any certainty, so that it is not poss- ible to forecast their behaviour in service. No information, for instance, has been available for the natural materials used for the stone treads and floors of of buildings, but the Bureau of Standards of the United States Department of Commerce lately Instituted research work the subject, and
Ly issued report, on "Wear Resistance of Natural Stone Flooring," prepared by Mr. D. W. Kessler, shows that this test- work has thrown some light upon this subject; and it is now clear- ly possible to make certaiá com- parisons between such materials without
much of Fulham's gigantic new Power Station will signify the initial step towards the completion of the first por- tion of yet another structural
Sir Hugo explained that the organisation is confronted with various tasks. One is to fight for prominence and leadership in purely electrical development; another is to keep its scientific. technical and commercial staff more and more efficient,
while still another task is to study the needs of almost all other indus- tries in order to render them ser- vice.
in
engineering triumph, In this structure no less than 17,000 tons of steel has been used, all of which was fabricated, delivered to the site and erected by Dor- man, Long & Co., Ltd., in the short space of 33 weeks, an aver- age of $16 tons per week for over 8 months. The steel was manu- factured at Dorman Long's Mid- dlesbrough Works from their own raw materials, and it is largely due to their command of supplies from Mines and Collieries and control of production from Blast Furnaces to Rolling Mills that such deliveries were made pos sible.
During the peak period of con- struction 165 men were employed on erecting the steel framework, the main members of which were lifted into position by means of two is ton Travelling Cranes each having a lb of 140 ft.- equal to the height of Nelson's Columa; the heaviest lifts un- dertaken being 66 tons.
AIRCRAFT FACTORIES FOR SCOTLAND?
4. Ma
(Special Alz Mall Sérvice)
Edinburgh, July 25.
gestion that vitai industrial fac- tories should be as far as possible from potential air-raid areas has already had practical considera- tion by the examination of likely
I understand Mr. Baldwin's sug-
It was interesting to learn that over 1,500 posts now carry the Ostra street lighting lamps various parts of Britain, and many additional orders are in hand, both at home and Overseas. Further progress has opened up the possibility of using this lamp for interior-lighting, and alreatly installations have been carried out in important industrial un- dertakings ch as foundries, steel works and mines.
on recent-
loss of time. Ordinary hardness testing is not. suitable for the purpose, heither are the devices used for it well adapted to the work. For these reasons, a new abession appatitis. was designed. Having obtained results with this, it heat became destrable "to, ascertain to what degrees these conformed with the resistance to wear shown in actual experience, for which purpose in- vestigations were made with 23" "materials in actual service........... A was
sites for aircraft factories in Scot land. writes a correspondent. It Is believed in various authoritative quarters I consulted here to-day that the Government are consider-
high degree of corelation found to exist, and it is likely, therefore, that the method will serve" the useful purpëse of ent- abling approximate forecasts to be made of natural stone flooring materials
Revolving Dias"
value. Safenty-eight marbles were tested; a third of which were imported from Germany, " Belgium, Norway, France, Italy and Algeria. Among these were a certain number of dolomitic marbles, but the results did not show that the contention of mine- ralogists, that the delimites are harder than the calcitic marbles. had any actual relationship to their wear-resisting properties. The range proved to be from 7 units on the seale.. Limestones and sandstones had a range up to 26 units, but domestic alates only gave from 6 to 12 on the scale. All the granites tested showed very high values, and the ngures were increased, as the depth of abrasion was increased, substantiating the theory that Hand stones ate injured to some extent rest the surface, by the hishing process. Their range was from 44 units to 66 units. Materials, formed from Igneous rocks by surface weathering, such as serpentines sild chloritic am- phiboles, showed wide variations in resistance to abrasion, depend-" ing upon the degree of weather- ing. It has long been recognised that. floor-surfacing materials should be adapted to the traffic conditions,, though this is not al- ways acted upon. It is suggested that under this test, materials fot railway stations. hotel entrances and departmental atdiés, should give as high a figure as 15 at least, and in some cases 20, but for á large percentage of floor areas. with traffic conditions that "are not so severe, good, results may be obtained with materials of values as low as 6 units. The selection of materials of equal resistance characteristics is essen- tlal where different colours are required to conform with -i pat- tern, or design, a point which many old buildings now empha- aise in an uncomforablé manner.
The apparatus devised consists essentially of a revolving disc, pressing against the specimen. between which abrassive is con- tinually fed from ǹ hopper. 'Con- stant weighings of the specimens, In a dry condition, show the re- duction due to wear in equal time. intervals under the applied loads. On the scale adopted an inder number of 180 was given for the most resistant material, quarts, and a value of between 15 and 20.
found for substances com- "monly used for flooring purposes in America. such as marble lime- stonë, sandstone, granite, ærpen- tine and travertine. All mate- rials, however, showed consider- able variations from an average
g the question of establishing a State factory for the production of aeroplanes," and the choice of a site in the West of Scotland is within their purview. Since the brat period there has been no State establishment for the manu- facture of aeroplanes, and it is un derstood that, while the Air Minis- try might decide in favour of `set ting up an establishment under its own control, existing factories" un- der contract to it from time tó time may be duplicated, or have branches set up in Scotland and in the North of England.
RECENT ENGINEERING
CONTRACTS
Messrs. Simon-Carves, Limited, Cheadle Heath, Stockport, have received an order from Messrs. Barber, Walker and Company, Limited, for a battery of 30 of the latest type coke ovens, with all necessary machinery, and complete by-product installation and coal-handling, draining and blending plant. The new instal- lation is to be built at the com pany's Harworth Colliery, Bawtry, Yorkshire, on a virgin site. The Ovens will of the twin-flue “Underjet” type, almiler to those now being built by Messra, Simon- Carves for the Grassmoor Com- pany, Limited, Chesterfield, and the Dalton Math Collieries, Limi- ted. Rotherham,
The Improvement in the gold mining, steel, paper, shipping and...:: coal industries, if it continues, w mean much work for the electrical industry, and the G.EC. is well equipped, both on the electrical and mechanical sides, to deal with such contracts.
Referring to the great honour recently conferred upon him by HM. The King in his elevation to the peerage, Sir Hugo emphasized that the public services which he
had been able to render had been: made possible only through the emciency with which their organi- sation was working.
Perishable Goods "Now, what about some elastik ? suggested the commercial traveller who was getting an order from an Aberdeen shopkeeper.
"Na, hà," said the Aberdonian KIT DES HAS whit o it. I couldna measure wi'oot the stuff anapping."
w&5
Messrs. Crompton, Parkinson, Limited, Bush House, London, W.C.3, have obtained an order for 50 car sets of Crompton-West - traction equipment from the Bel- fast Corporation Tramways, De- partment. The order covers mo-" tors, control year and auxiliary apparatus, and is for a series of new cafe whift are softly to be put into service. This motor equip. ments will be made at the Chelmsford Works of Messri Crompton Parson, and the control gear by Messrs. Alleri West and Company Limited, Brighton
Mental Treatment
A country cabby, on coming to a hul, got down and violently, bang- ed the door, to the consternation «of his fare inside, who asked why he did it. Why, sir. it's to make the horse belleve you got out.". whispered the driver,
METAL WINDOWS
MANUFACTURER:
MADE IN" HONGKONG
FROM
IMPORTED BRITISH MATERIAL
95% BRITISH.
THE TAI YING STEEL WINDOW MFG. CO.
TELEPHONE: 27482,
SHIPBUILDERS, SHIP REPAIRERS, BOILER MAKERS, FORGE MASTERS,
...
OFFICE:-- 89/85, OHUN YONG STREET, FACTORY-NORTH-POINT, HONG KONG.
OXY-ACETYLENE AND ELECTRIC WELDERS, MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERS
THE TAIKOO DOCKYARD &
ENGINEERING COMPANY
LIMITED.
OF HONG KONG.
SALVAGE TUG "Taikoo
WIXSEXSS CALLTM
#EKLER 000 'N'ÐLA
-DRY DOCK-
:Length 787 Feet. Length on Blocks 750- Foot. Depth on Centre of
18TH (HLW.0.ST.134 1 8 fa
THREE SLIPWAYS,—–
Capable of Handling Ships Up to 4,000 Tons Displacement.
·Electric Orand at Sea Wall, Capable of Lifting 100 Tous
at 70 Foot Radios.
BUTTERFIELD & SWIRE, Agents,
HONG KONG, CHINA ▲"JAPAN. TÉL ADOREA: TAMOODOCK, HONG KONG. TALMIRONE 80211
"