The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-09 00:00:00

•••••••., `...... 4
The, Institute of Civil Engineers. i high and noble position she has hitherto enjoyed
• 1 Allow me to repeat my acknowledgments of the
h
The annual dinner of this association took placeigh honour you have done the army and myself in
last evenihig at Willis's Rooms when drinking this toast. (Loud cheers.), St. James's,
Mr. John Fowler, the president of the institution, Mr. (BURRY, in responding for the Navy, was glad
occupied the chair. i
to see around him so many well-known scientific
About 250 sat down to dinner, among whom were i gentlemen whose exertions had done so much for the
i
—his • Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, the improvement of the naval power of this country. In,
Prince of Teck, the Earl of Caithness, Lord William ;adverting to the compliment which bad been paid
Paulet, Lord A. Paget, Lord R. Grosvenor,
him by the chairman in connecting his name with
;
M.P., the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Se-
!. the introduction into the navy of the screw propeller
cretary of State for India, the First Lord of
and of iron as a material for shipbuilding he ob-
the Admiralty, Lord Chief Justice Bovill, :
. served that when he first became a Lord of the
L )rd Chief Baron Kelly, the Lord Mayor, Sir John ! Admiralty,in 1811, there was not a single screw
Burgoyne, the Quartermaster-General, the Rev. i propeller in the navy, and, in fact, at that time there
Canon Moseley, Sir Daniel Gooch, Sir T. Watson, was only one in the world, the Archimedes. In the
Sir E. Landseer, Sir W. Fergusson, Mr. Beardmore, year 1842 the Rattler, the first vessel of war pro-
Mr. Harrison, Mr. Ilawksley, Mr. Gregory, Mr. . Pelted by a screw, was built, and the result of that
i experiment had convinced him that the day was not.
Cabitt, Mr. Ilemans, Mr. Barlow, Mr. Hawkshaw,
Mr. M'Clean Mr. A berneth y. Mr. Saranda M.P.
] far distant when every vessel in the navy would be
, , ,
propelled by screw instead of by paddles. In 1845
Mr. Penn, Mr, Rawlinson, C. 8., Mr. Capper, M.P.,
1 he had the satisfaction of obtaining the assent of
Mr. E. Woode, Mr. C. Lucas, Mr. Brassey, Mr.
' Parliament to the building of the 23 screw vessels
Brunlees, Mr, Bramwell, Mr. Aird, Colonel Hyde,
of war, to be propelled by 10,000-horse power. The
R.E., Mr. E. Wilson, Capt. Galton, Mr. Vignoles,
Board of Admiralty which came into office in 1846
Mr. Glutton, Mr. Wythes, Mr. Cowper, Mr. John-
son, Mr. Forster, Mr. E. P. Smith, Mr. Bruce, Air, did not, however, share his opinion as to the advan-
Waring, M.P., Mr. Braithwaite, Mr. Siemens, Mr. tages of the screw propeller, and wrote to the mann-
Galbraith, Mr. Cootie, Mr. Hodgson, Mr. Baker, facturers to know whether it was too late to convert
.Mr. Brydone, Mr. Baldry, Mr. Peacock, Mr. Hood,
the engines for these vessels into paddlewheel en-
Mr. Longridge, Mr. Elliot, Mr. LBazalgette, Mr. glues. The reply was that the engines were already
completed, and thus the British navy was saved
Vrerefon, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Crampton, Mr. Mitchell,
from one of the greatest misfortunes that had ever
Mr. Bateman, Sir Charles Bright, M.P., Mr. Turn-
threatened it. A great prejudice had also existed
bull, Mr. Donkin, Mr. Conybeare, Mr. Rennie,
against the employment of iron as a material for
Mr. Stevenson, Mr. Mallet, &c., with Mr. Charles
ships of war, and the iron vessels which had been
Manbey, the honorary secretary, and Mr. James
built under his superintendence had been turned
Forrest, the secretary.
by the succeeding Board of Admiralty into trans-
After the cloth was drawn,
port vessels, on the ground that it was absurd and
The CHAIRMAN proposed "The Health of her
ridiculous to use ships built of that material
Most Gracious Majesty the Queen," which was
for fighting purposes. It was therefore with
drank with the usual honours.
some little feeling of triumph that when he was
The CHAIRMAN, in proposing " The Health of
tbeir Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of appointed to his present office some two months
Wales, and th rest of the Royal Family," ex-
since he found that there was then building in e,Pem-
broke dockyard an ironclad and iron built frigate of
pressed the sympathy which all persons in these
4,000 tons, to be propelled by screw engines of 1000
kingdoms felt for her Royal Highness the Princess
of Wales in her trying and painful illness, and their horse power, and which was to carry 600 men and
hope that she might be speedily restored to perfect
guns of the heaviest calibre. The navy of this coun-
health, try was much indebted to the civil engineers for the
The toast was warmly responded to. efforts they had made to induce the authorities to
The CHAlemeN—Your Royal Highness, my Lords, use iron as a material in shipbuilding, although he
and gentlemen, I have now to propose the toast of was not quite sure that the Chancellor of the Ex-
" The Army, the Navy, and the Volunteers." 1
chequer would thank them for having increased the
1
At our last meeting in this room I ventured cost of building a ship fourfold. But if the cost of a
at some length to explain the intimate relations of vessel was increased to that extent it must not be
the civil and the military engineer, and although I forgotten that her power had been increased in a
will not again travel over the same ground, it is im-
still greater proportion. In conclusion, he begged
possible not to feel that, with advancing mechanical again to thank them for the honour they had done
the navy in drinking the toast.
knowledge in every pert of the world, the opera-
Col. HAWKSHAW, in responding for the Volun-
tions and the munitions of war are becoming every
year more and more dependent on scientific calcu-
teers, said that the volunteer corps of which he was
a member, and of which Sir John Burgoyne was the
Jealous, and on a sound knowledge of engineering.
hon. colonel, was endeavouring to solve the difficult
In the matter of breech-loading rifles alone the
roblem of providing for the conveyance of large
elaborate ingenuity displayed and the variety of 'bodies of troops and volunteers from one part of the
weapons produced are a remarkable proof of this,
kingdom to another. He thought they had succeeded
and must already be positively bewildering to the
committees, commissions, or commanders who have pretty well already, and he trusted that in time
the responsibility of choice and decision. I cannot they should be able to do still better.
The CHAIRMAN—Your Royal Highness, my lords,
refrain from one word of reference—and I do so
and gentlemen, the next toast on my list is " The
with pride—to the collections of munitions of war
Houses of Lords and Commons." The people of
and specimens of marine engineering which are now
England are naturally, and with reason, proud of
displayed in the English department of the French
their country and of its constitution, and they are
Exhibition. I confess that the conclusion which I
especially proud of their Houses of Legislature which
drew from my examination was this (and I hope all
are the subject of my present toast; and although
other examiners will draw the same conclusion)
occasional differences of opinion may be observed as
that it would be a wise and prudent thing to be at
to the meanswbichmaybe best to employ, I believe
peace with that country and the people who can
that no real difference ever exists as to the great
supply such munitions of war. I am proud to say
objects to be attainedsafety and honour to our
that we have present with us to-night his Royal
country, and freedom and happiness to its people.
Highness the Duke of Cambridge, the Commander-
During the present year the usual opportunities of
in-Chief, who possesses in the highest degree the
communication between engineers and members has
confidence of his Sovereign, of soldiers, civilians,
been somewhat diminished, but I trust that this
and, I may say, of both Houses of Parliament.
circumstance will not lessen the friendly feeling
(Loud cheers.) We have also present the Right
which has long been maintained between them ;
Hon. Mr. Corry, the First Lord of the Admiralty,
indeed, I have almost suspected in my own
who has delighted all his friends by his recent ex-
individual case that my greeting from members
pression of a sanguine hope that our present hideous
had been somewhat warmer and more cordial than
ironclads may shortly be made as graceful as they
are terrible ; and Mr. Corry is well entitled to have usual, and I suppose it is because I have not this
his opinions on such subjects received with respect. year entertained them so often in committee-rooms
with long lectures on the superior merits of my own
Upwards of a quarter of a century ago he was • the
strenu pus advocate of the introduction of the screw proposals as compared with the crude suggestions
propeller into the Royal Navy, and also for the of my opponeuts: I infer, therefore, that we need
adoption of iron as a material for the building of
not fear that we shall suffer in the respect and re-
ships of war. I have great pleasure in proposing Bard which is felt for us if, for a year or two, we
" The Army, the Navy, and the Volunteers," are conspicuous by our absence from committee-
coupling the names of the Duke of Cambridge with rooms. Among other distinguished statesmen and
the Army, the First Lord of the Admiralty with the orators present to-night we have the Earl of Caith-
Navy, and Col. John Hawkshaw with the Volun- ness, who is so good an engineer that if he were not
teem. (Loud cheers.) an earl be would be a formidable professional com-
The Duke of CAMBRIDGE, who in rising to re-
petitor ; and I am happy to say we have also the
spond to the. toast on behalf of the army was loudly Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer, one
of the most distinguished statesmen and orators of
cheered, said—Mr. President, my lords, and gentle-
men, I feel extremely flattered by the manner in the age. (Loud cheers.) I propose " The Houses of
which your President has proposed this toast, and I Lords and Commons," coupling the House of Lords
also feel highly flattered at the compliment which with the name of the Earl of Caithness, and the
has been paid to the army and to myself in permit- House of Commons with the name of the Chan-
ting me, as the head of that force, to be present on cellor of the Exchequer.
The Earl of CAITHNESS, in responding on behalf
this occasion, when you have had the kindness
of the House of Lords, maid that that House held
through me to do honour to the profession to which
the body of civil engineers in high esteem. Owing
I belong. Gentlemen, I know that there is a strong
to the exertions of that body these islands were
fellow feeling on the part of the army towards the
covered with a network of railways by which the
civil engineers, and I believe that that feeling is re-
ciprocated on the part of the civil engineers towards wealth, industry, and commerce of the country have
the army. The Chairman has alluded to the fact been enormously increased.
that the army of late years has been greatly indebted The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, whose
to the civil engineers for the improvements which rising was greeted with loud and prolonged applause,
have been effected in the means of offence and de-
said—Your Royal Highness, Mr. President, my
fence, and of transport ; and I think that the effect Lords, and gentlemen, it was only a few nights ago
of those improvements was well exemplified in the that I had the honour, on the part of the House of
course of last year when, had it not been for the Commons, to return thanks for the honour that had
facilities afforded by the been done them in the galleries of art, and now I
railways for moving troops,
for the immense improvements that have been
have to repeat that duty in what I may describe,
effected in guns and of war, the results
munitions with the licence, perhaps, but I hope without the
which have astonished, surprised, and I had almost
licentiousness of metaphor, as the halls of science.
said; in a scientific point of vi • ew, delighted, the (Hear.) Mr. President, relations of considerable in-
world would not have been arrived
at. The pro- terest have long subsisted between the House of
feesion of arms, which
was formerly a rude one, Commons and the body of civil engineers, and in my
has come to depend almost entirely upon science, own experience the latter have contributed seve-
and it is to your body that we owe the sciencemtha; ral highly honoured distinguished and
members to
House of
has been applied to the service of the army. It the Commons. Alluding only to those
must not, however, be supposed that I look down who have left us it is with satisfaction that I recol-
upon the military engineers. The profession of lect that I enjoyed the kind feelings, and I hope
opinions
military engineers is quite apart from that of the civil Possessed the favourable • • ,of Locke and
engineers—each body has its own peculiar interest Stephenson. They sat on different sides of the
and its own peculiar objects. The chief avocation of House, but they were men whom all regarded with
the civil engineer is to do good to his country and esteem and looked
up to with the greatest respect.
to raise his own position by means of his scientific ac- Indeed, cannot it be d • denied that the House of Com-
quirements, of his invention, and by carrying out mons and the civil engineers are exceedingly well
great works.-- The task of military engineer, on - aCquaintied with each other. (Hear, hear, and a
military
objects. the other hand, is to apply science to
laugh.) I hardly know any public body of men
We have among us the distinguished
officer who is who have had so much Parliamentary experience
at the head of our military engineers, Sir John Bur- as they have had. Indeed, I
rather expect that on
goyne—(hear)--than whom lam satisfied there is certain points,
such as on the question of the coin-
no better soldier in the service, while, at the same pliance with standing orders for instance, they
time, no person's mind could be more accurate and would know much more, perhaps, than even the
apt for scientific pursuite than that of that most dis-
ileader of the House of Commons. (" Hear," and
tinguished officer. (Hear.) lam glad to hear the
laughter.) Looking around the room,
I see the
chairman say that, judging from the specimens of countenances of many men who, without
being
munitions of war we exhibit in the Paris Exhibition, members of Parliament, have had more experience
no other country would care to go to war with us, and of Parliamentary committees than I have had even
I may add that those specimens were obtained from in the course "
of 00 years' experience in
the War-office, a department over which I have no The Pr • esident, with plaintive die • onity, has alluded
control. It has often been said that we are not to the circumstance that our relations at present are
pursuing the right path with regard to our improve- net so frequent as heretofore, (Laughter.) What
newts in munitions of war ; sometimes we are ac- foundation there may be for that remark I do not
cused of being too fast, and other times of being too venture to inqui •
re, but I should say,
judging front
slow ; but it must be recollected that, as soon as one what I observe as I walk down to the House
invention has been approved and adopted, those Commons daily, the civil end
e, neers are very busy in
whose peculiar inventions have not been selected' its neighbourhood. (A laugh.) What may be the
immediately cry out that the military authorities are 1 precise result and what the exact object of
the works'
in the wrongagain.
. (Hear, and laughter.) It must ' I see going on there I don't presume to decide, bat
also he tereembered
that one invention begets an- lall 1 I hope is that our future proceedings are not to
other invention, and therefore it is difficult for the Partake of a subterranean character,
and that at
authorities to determine whether they should pro- , least the
.House of Commons may be suffered to
ceed to carry out an perform its duties which may be ,
improvement
suporsel,!,l by the discovery --tamstince.s.
' ,
of to-morrow. But, at i I should have sat down now, hay'
all (svents, We .ing fulfilled
may rest satisfied from what we have I my agreeable duty of thanking you
heard front the chairman, on behalf of
that if we have not the ' the House of Commons for the hon
best munitions of our you bay,
war that 1
which we do possess can be invented, those . done them in the toast you hs '
eve Just so kindly re-
are better than those of the rest ceived, bad I not been informed that ' •
of the world. (Hear.) I ais ex ect -d
of this fact should content think that the knowledge 1 that I should touch upon another institution.p L Hay-
nt us, a_ee
give the military authorities nu that we should 1 ing dealt with one great institution of the country,
achieved such a result, and some
credit for having I perhaps it is natural that I should be requested to
which they believe, and often for' trying to do that refer to the • •
position of the Institution of Civil Eu
rightly believe,
to be gineers. (Hear, hear.) I think that this is asubject- the beet for the interests of the count
lazy authorities, are not influencedry. The mili- which would have met with much more
I,
-y impulse . treatui . competent
favour; or affection •
in the course theyadopt, ' ' cut at the hands of the noble earl, who hate a
wiloy, by 4 6..,;;c0
to
iiiiceLtaia .
but . practical knowledge
of the science of enginee • rin cr
tii4l,3 coUtry in the which do
1 Uot palass. The• taut I have to prC),