531
the proportions used in his Concrete, this adding considerably to the cost of the Works- being ignorant of the fact that the white and flour-like appearance of the concrete was quite quite as likely to be due to the presence of salts in the Sand, gravel or water used in making it, and that probably the cement had nothing whatever to do with it.
17. Further on he speaks of the shrinking of the cement "when used pure or mixed with sand and when liquid as grouting"- If he uses an excess of water in his concrete, as he unquestionably does in his briquettes the "considerable shrinking" of his work is not to be wondered at-
18. A consideration of the Statements of the Resident Engineer drives me to the conclusion that he knows nothing whatever about the proper testing of Portland cement - and that he accordingly draws wrong conclusions from inaccurate data.
19. The only statement in the Resident Engineer's Report, that can be considered as in any way serious is that "the net weight in the casks has been carefully obtained and the average is 379 lbs instead of 400 lbs" - 400 lbs being the weight per cask to which I have certified, and your Department has paid for- Unless this weighing was made...
Bury,