The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-26 00:00:00

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS.

On Tuesday (Sir William Cubitt, President, in the
chair),the annual general meeting for the election of the
president, vice-presidents, and other members of coun-
cil for the ensuing year, for receiving the annual re-
port of the retiring council, and distributing the
medals and premiums, was held.
The report referred particularly to the late Great
Exhibition, many of the competing designs for the
building, as well as the suggestions for the guarantee
fund, and several important points connected with the
classification, &0., having emanated from members of
the institution ; and amidst the Royal Commissioners,
the building committee, their executive staff, and the
jurors, many were to be found; even the designer of
the present building, and those whose energies were
so successfully devoted to the task of its construction,
also belonged to the institution, whilst " the weight of
responsibility, the arduous duty of supervision, the
honour of acting as the master mind to weigh the re-
quisites, to determine the design, and to govern the
construction," were reserved for Sir William Cubitt,
the president. The professional and scientific visitors
from foreign lands received much assistance and in-
formation in their inquiries in this country ; and it
was confidently hoped that the relations with other
countries might become more intimate, and that col-
lective and individual benefit would be promoted.
The principal papers which had been read were
noticed, and their objects and merits explained in a
few expressive sentences ; though it was regretted
that they were not so numerous as usual, and in con-
sequence the list of subjects for the ensuing session
bad been much altered and modified, and the attention
of gentlemen known to possess information on any
subject had been directed to it, with a pressing re-
quest that they would favour the institution with the
results of their experience.
The following medals and premiums were awarded :
Telford medals to Messrs. Clegg, Wyatt, Swin-
burne, Bruce, Hughes, Struve, and Newton ; and
council premiums of books to Messrs. Glynn, Black-
well, Leslie, and Carr.
In speaking of the subject of publication, the com-
pletion of the Library Catalogue was mentioned, and
it was stated that not only was the utility of the work
admitted by the members, but the plan of its forma-
tion, and the:accuracy of its execution, had been gene-
rally approved by the best authorities ; this, it was
hoped, would lead to the presentation of standard
works of reference for the library, which it was de-
sirable to bear in mind was supported entirely by
voluntary contributions.

Notwithstanding several deceases and resignations,
the effective increase in the number of members,
which now amounted to 716 of all classes, was equal
to that of any previous year, and far greater than the
average.. _

Memoirs were read of the following :—The Most
Noble the Marquis of Northampton, honorary
member; Messrs. W. Brunton, G. S. Dalrymple, J.
Farey, W. Mackenzie, and 11. Renton, members;
and Colonel Jervis, B E., Messrs. S. B. Moody.
Tasker, G. 13. Thorneycroft, W. West, and J. Wilson,
associates.

The memoirs were succinct records of eventful
lives. They noticed feelingly the virtues and talents
of Lord Northampton, the mechanical skill of Mr.
Brunton, almost the last of the old school of en-
gineers—the patient industry and laborious research
of kar. Farey, to whom, with the 'dowries, the en-