New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-07
THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.
THE FoRTY-FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING.

pREss-LEADING POINTS IN THE VETERAN I'm
GINKER's CAREER-EMINENT PEOPLE PRESENT
WOMEN EXCLUDED FROM THE COMMITTEES.
TrRoM THs REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSE'l
BRIsroI, Aug. 26.-The contrast between the
meetings of the British Association this year at
Bristol and last year at Belfast is going to be a
marked one-nay it already is marked. II that
vm daring and sensational, this bids fair to be
PERFECTLY decorous and very slightly dull. 1t is
too soon to predict what some of the sections may
do There are two of them, the Anthropo-
logical for instance, which liable to break loose
at any moment and run a muck among some of the
most cherished superstitions of society in general
OF them say nothing as yet, but the Association at
large Is clearly in no mood to pursue the topics
which at the Belfast meeting and for some months
aft>lward, made things so lively. Prof. Tyn6all
himself has told much. 1t was his duty, as
retiring President, TO introduce the President of the
wear, SIR John Hawkshaw. This he did at the open
ing meeting last evening with few words evidently
meant TO give the tone for the weeks work. In
him. l doubt not" said Prof. Tynda you will
have wise and prudent head, leader not likely to
be caught up into atmospheric worthless of specula-
ton about things organic inorganic, about
mind, or matters beyond the reach of mind, but
one who, struggling AntRus like with his subject
here tonight, will know how to maintain through
out a refreshing contact with his mother EARTH"
Dr. Tyndalls part, seeing that he had had the oppor
tunity to read every line of Sir john Hawkshaw's
address in print, before the audience heard word
of it. Sir John himself, moment later, confirmed
his predecessors assurance with the remark that
past Presidents having already discoursed on many
subjects, on the mind and on things perhaps beyond
the reach of mind, he had arrived at the conclusion
that humber themes would not be out of place
this occasion.
This will prove great disappointment to the DR..
Wat;ses of Bristol if any there be- and to consid-
cradle number of most excellent people who went to
some trouble last year to persuade the world that
the British Association is a dangerous body. 1t Is
possible for them to console themselves by saying
that DR.. Tyndall and his comrades have hauled
down their hag-which would not he true, but
might be made to seem probable to people who read
only one side. There is a touch OF humoT i'll the ex-
Presidents words which will not escape those who
look fer il. Something higher than humor appears
in his remark about the temporary rest" the As
ISOLATION is to enjoy under its present head-"rest
all the more sweet and needful from the tempestu-
Gus weather which Tasher navigators who preceded
HIM thought ii their duty to encounter rather than
avoid"
The new President is one of the first of living en-
enecrs ranking perhaps next to the greatest men Of
the past In his own profession. He is "A years old,
and more than 30 years ago was the unsuccessful
opponent Of Brunei in the famous broad-Gauge con-
troversy, and soon after the successor OF George
Stephenson as engineer of the Manchester and Leeds
Railway. His resistance to the Brunei broad gauge
seven feet-on the Great Western Railway, though
overruled by the directors at the time, doubtless
increased his reputation later, when everybody be-
came convinced that broad gauges are a mistake.
He had a contest with Stephenson himself
ahou steep gradients, which Stephenson all his life
Condemned, bat which Hawkshaw advocated and
carried on his own line, whence other lines adopted
them the success Of the system being demonstrated,
He il still consulting engineer to the great network
Of railways which the Lancashire and Yorkshire
Company have cOnstructed-the whole system is in
fact his and il is one of the most extensive In En-
gland But that is a very small part of his achieve
meats. even with railways. He has built or super
intended lines i'll Russia, in the Mauritius, and In
India He is great in docks and harbors The
splendid Hoyhead Breakwater is his To him the
Suez anal itself owes something, for he pronounced
in favor of it as long ago 1862, when most
English engineers were skeptica and Stephenson
had said it was impossible. He is actually con-
structing larger though far less important ship
canal between Amsterdam and the North Sea. He
has damned out the sea from the low lands of Nor
folk and is improving the harbors Of Brazil. Beyond
all else he is experimenting tunnel beneath the
English Channel and believes-he was always
sanguine man-that the thing can be done. l emu
ncIate only here and there a few of the most
famous among his great enterprises enough to show
that no common man stands before the great audi
ence in Coston Hail in the distinguished position Of
President of the British Association for tie Advance
ment of Science. / wish they would take q shorter
II must be said in all frankness that the address
as delivered disappointed and even scattered the
audience. This more the fault of the elocuton
than Of the matter Sir John began in voice in
audible throughout half the hall. By and by he
raised it little but spoke mOnotonousy, and at no
time could he be heard with The address was
treatise Oh the history and methods Of civil engn-
eering full half of it being devoted to the ancient
Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. 1t wouldn't be
bad article for the edition Of the "EncyclOp9-
da Britannica" and it is just possible some of it
came ont Of the last edition. At any
rate, it Is boo;-work, and Sir John gave
Us much less of his own experience and practical
judgment than We should have liked. The last half
deals with the steam engine. textile machinery,
steamships, railways telegfaphs, and artillery.
little information about the Channel Tunnel would
have been welcome. 1t is encouraging, however, 10
be assured that may expect greater things in the
future than the past has seen-prOvided we are
willing TO pay for them. This perhaps means the
tunnel There are hopes for the future far broader
thar tlis. We cannot create new force, SIR John
tells U.s. but we can and shall greatly improve tie
application Of those forces with which We are ac-
quainted. Nay, our present knowledge, compared
to what is unknown, even IN physics, Is Inhhitesi-
NAL" and though we may never discover new
foree-yet who can tell I" With this interrogatory
the address concludes.
The number Of eminent persons present at the
meeting is large On the platform last night sat