The Express.
London, England, 1865-05-13 00:00:00

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.

The annual dinner of the members of this insti-
tution took place last swung at Willis's-rooms, King-
street, St. James's, under the most favourable auspice&
The chair was °coupled bylirChaae,A.S..
the president, and the vieenhairem were Mr. Fowler, Mr.
Gregory, Mr. Scott Russell, Mr. Cubit; Mr. Harrison, and
Mr. Hem& The cowpony numbered in all between 200
and 300, and Minded the Duke of Somerset, Earl Oren-
villa, Earl Devon, Berl Desonglimore, Lord Stanley, M.P.,
Sir Chubs Wood, Bart., LP., Sir John Pakingtoo, Bert.,
M.P., General Sabine, Bur Roderick Marc,/Woe the Lord
Mayor, Sir Rowland Hill, Arbeirel Robinson, General
Sir Andrew Waugh, Admiral Collinsie, the Hon-
ourable E. F. Leeson Gower, /LP., Mr. (Alders, LP.,
Mr. Roebuck, M.P., Mr. Didgbili, M.P., Mr. Ayrtoo,
M.P., Colonel Erakisig, Colonelll'Martio, Dr. Roger, Mr.
Beresford Hope, Mr. De la Rao, Mr. W. J. Hamilton, Dr.
Percy, the Master of the Mint, Professor Sylvester, Pro-
fessor Pols, Mr. Bidder, Mr. ilawkshaw, Mr. H. Robertson,
M.P., Mr. Smiles, Mr. W. H. Barlow, Mr. Whitworth, Mr.
Vignola., Mr. Murray, Mr. Fairbairn, Mr. Chadwick, C. 8.,
Mr. Aird, jun., Mr. Ogilvie, Mr. Bramwell, Kr. Hassey,
Mr. Beseton, Mr. Berkeley, Mr. E. Woods, Mr. Hodgson,
Mr. P. W. Barlow, Mr. Campton, Mr. Penn, Mr. &muds,
Mr. klumphrys, Mr. Siemens, Mr. Venetian, Mr. Warimg,
MBrimless, Mr. Brum Mr. R. Morrison Mr. Maudslay,
r. WCasnell, Mr. Erik, Mr. 0. Eliiot, Mr. Hay-
wood, Mr. Blyth, Sir John Bowen, Mr. Redmao, Mr.
Bette, Mr. Oarpmael, Mr. Edwin Greeley, Mr. Owyhee»,
Mr. A. Giles, &c. • the arrangements being is charge
of Mr. Charles lienhy, F.R.S., hoeorary secretary,
arid Mr. James Forrest, the secretary. The cus-
tomary loyal toasts having _ bees proposed by the
chairman, and warmly responded to by the -oonswey, "The
Army, the Navy, aod the Volunteers" was Orin, coupled
with the names of his Grace the Duke of Somerset, E.G.,
Major-General Sir Andrew Waugh. and Colonel Erskine.
The toast having Wee duly acheowledgekthe chairman
gave " The Houses of Lords and Commons," coupled with
the names of the Right Hoe. Earl Granville, ILO., god Mr.
Roebuck, M.P. Earl Granville and Mr. Roebuck meditat-
ively returned thanks, and the chairman proposed " Oar
visitors," coupled with the name of Lord Stanley, M.P. His
lordship having expressed hie acknowledgmects, proposed
" Prosperity to the tomtit:Woe of Civil Segiosers," coupled
with the name of the senior put presideot there present,
Mr. George Bidder. The noble lard spoke in terms of
the warmest eulogy regarding the &erecter of the
profession, whose members were resembled in large
numbers on this ocoadoe. It was quite true, as had been
remarked by a previow speaker, that civil engineers were
pre-eminently amongst the representative men of the pre-
sent day. This was an age of industrial prograisivstenter-
prise—an age victorious, not by man over man, not by na-
tion over nation, bet by man over nature, by the help, if be
might so express it, of nature herself, sod in the interests
of the whole race of mankind. They had only to refer to
those vest operations of modern times to be enabled to
appreciate the justice of thin remark. The American
telegraph, with is eighteen hundred miles of submarine
wires, the piercing of the Alps for railway purposes,
sod the groat Egyptian enterprise which was to shorten
the route to India by 7,000 miles—these three works
alone were sufficient to give an impress, to the cha.
mots of the age, and to ensure its being ever remem-
bered in the future. Telegraphy might be said to
anticipate time. Those works which united man to man
and nation to nation wore calculated &affect the molds and
the social position of mankind. They also affected the
world intellectually, and that in the most material
sense. In previous ages capital and labour had been as abun-
dant as they were now, but the opportuoities and the means
of exercising either the we or the other did not present
themselves as they did at the present moment, and tow
they were seized by scientific and intellectual men to the
general advantage of mankind. After a few more compli-
mentary observations regarding 'the great benefits which
had arisen from the exertion, of the civil wieners, his
lordship concluded by proposing the tout. Mr. Bidder
returned thanks, observing that the institution bad been 50
years in existence, and daring its early years its, members
numbered only 110. Of that number only 11 were now
living ; but he was happy to say that in the year 1845 they
began to grow, vigorous, and their numbers; had
goo* on increasing until they sow reached 1,200.
Their funds were accumulating, they were free from
debt, and they were in all respects ii a satisfactory and
flourishing ponds. He concluded by giving "The hono-
rary members of the Institution of Civil Firgansers," coupled
with the name of the Right Hon. Sir Charles Wood, Bart.,
M.P., who, having reminded, prodneed "The scientific
end learned societies," maple/ with the same of General
Sabine, president of the Royal Society. "The Lord Mayor
and Institutions of the City of London," and "The health
of the President of the lostitutioe," were given in moss-
. sift, and the entertainment (which reflected much credit
rd upon the Mesas. Willis, wider whose direction it was pre
44 pared) was brought to a close shortly after 11 o'clock.
&Bo