New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-20
no different questions from those decided in tho Eouen
dorr case By Chief Justics DAILY.

dorm case Dy Ch1efJuBtc8 DAILY.
THE PROGRESS OF ENGINEERING THOUGHT.
ADDREss THE HON. W. J.. M'ALPISE BEFORE THE
HEw-YORK sOCIETY or PRACTICAL ENGINEERS.
The lecture room of the American Geographi-
Society. at the Cooper Institute. well filed last
evening the occasion being the delivery 81 the first OF
course OF lectures under the auspices OF the Newfok
soeiety Of Practical EngDeers The chair was cceuped
by Prof J. A. Whitney, Secretary OF the Society VINO
introduced the Hon. W. ]. MeApine Of Albany. and
announced that the suite Of the lecture would DO inc
History OF Engineering Thought"
After alludiHg 10 the fabulous stories IN the earliest
proane hstorJ the said that to arrive at true
history OF mans progres he proposed nrst 10 CONSIDER
him placed Cyst among the animals and clements ana
to trace each advancing step FROM the most rude
condition CT life tho period OF authentic his
tory next confirm tins lnductive process BY compar-
ing its results with those OF the existing s0eletos III
man. from our NEST rude Western Indians and the
negroes of Central Africa. step by step, through
the savage nations, where they are new Iouha
more and moro advanced In civilization, and through
the semcIyZed nations, 10 the highest ceGree oi
cultivation and finally. TO consider the most autenS
Of ancient hisoree far they apply TO the subject
correcting their eLlggeraous, and omlttnS 'ho'o
which papaby slse The nature Of rhe present az
Of history permits this method Of vorncaon ~
other description OF history does, and such EXAMINE
tiOns Will result rendering this portion OF mans early
history reliable that wGcl arc accnbioineu ~
call authentic.
The desire OF prneval for food, clothing ana mao
atOn brought out the first mechanic art In agricultural
implements and the domesucaion OF animals resulted
in the invention OF the pillow. MINIS Invention armed
him tia; he became superior 20 the strongest ana
heTces NJ the animals. Nan, By association doVcop.u
the AK uiueas II each for the benefit Of the
whole. He eOJBeG hcst with skins winch he soOl
converted into leather and soon Hiter spun lh Wu!e
The brfs OF urs plants nO CLOTH Man hr't rnfs
raced al The essential Clements OF I4ci''O
ture TrsnspOI tatIon W land aud water began
vita rude path ways which required Improvement lSlo
roads. Az tic desired trausporeaii1n eelicr io5
made, and the drst car we're made, WIN ThFe
cut transYersey IRON trees. VITA rrNCI lg a1 dHH
rough platforms. A. yeuleles improved 80 dd tLo nis
ways, aud experience ana eBi were hfOu.h, Iuso p'
ana concenI rated until he great Roman roiu7
the marvel OF the world Ihe nrst Nen.cts ,S 80
transportation were l0-s, loO"ei pf I 10 80 ,r,,cr
lowe logs, Canoes and subsequently shps maze Wl'er
ught witl hlues' pIopeien n'o' oy Inn
so did art improve water Rocks Al SAND
bars removed rapids aud cataract' were over
come ny nOrtIgcs. Canals were nr5t c'h'tFut'ct io
irricatOn anu dr.ihage, bus soon became ur'I -o9
transportation They we've copied after the ntl9ra
water courses W.th the conDass, hOTever s'F'R"-
tors became more adventurous, ana exten.IeI th,l
ages at WILL beyond the iu,:s " uy-'' 10 cross
RIVERS It was iecessary 10 construct ordHes' a tno
were first made oy cling trees and when me I'eF
the stream n To use TWO tees eDghwlse ana some
timss three in bIearih. The lecturer tEeh x
planned me gradual Iro-reSs oi Dldse D"Hdhs ~ " "e
He then took m the subject Of history. ,os
oldest sou were ticls OF Tue sO a.d TIE sccuId son
keeper ~ sh,ep. Cam luiit c..j, 40 INC
every hcer in lr-hs ana iron, NLlc his sister hIO-
spinning anj knitnnG. sixteen centuries after
Adams creation nIutn descendant BOLT a ship OF
10000 or $1,000 CHs DbrdcE, vessel when u"a o1B "c
been exceeded "a q. Three general ouS tl'tr tnc
grandchildren ~ n Jah were found lHbAounR
tno isLnIs OF Mediterranean, a"d ms
great grandson founded Babylon ana NneyCG Ha
sons buIit tower. usIlR bic6s ana nOrtar II tLns
required IL OF 10 centuries Of the nye- Oi una men I"
arrive a: mechanical Knowledge necessary /" con-
pF Ian tlfl IN . b. IA
late As God did 81 at first permit Iir ta'
ing Of animals the art o spiun snd ". ,ylug .Ooi
was perhaps among .ist tuc mechanical n''n-
wo-d bricks stoae. &. aud tao navigation o. rae
waters, are Jcn spoken VI In CAY iS y a. go '"'
Amoi 2 the carly nations those to whom engineers
are met Indebted the .cLi,iIS AID C.tl-aS e-
mans. From tic loth 10 tat century hrt5e Chit.
lie Cartnascuans cOIninaD.ird TIE cummrr'o - the
world and txcblDged the products If IluIa viii other
places, aud turned EVERYTHING INTO gOid Ihr' Du. a
Act Of sblps for Solomon 90 years CArist. FOR
TWO centuries, RVnc was e"S"F'i ~ the P'4ale"l WOA
OF destroying lie CaTtnaEeuan c0muierr, ana nhaily
sucoee.d IN CONQUER ing Car ge about 100 years bT0rG
Christ Rome never Md q commerce sac Overran ne
world with military drrpOtisiD. Se was never pro
duccr, the rai OF Carthage really beginning
OF lie dark ages" aitGuugh cOCval wiki he ge.t
gusering works which characterize Aone Ia tue zenith
power. The Grecans ay ciain 10 the discovery
tue Homer mentions the use u metals, tut the
Greeks not Known 10 have discovered any Of the
mechanical arts although furnishing some o. DC pas
skilled aud DOldest engineers Of tho age III Babylon
there been recorded uany w0nGe fni engheerlbS
works, some 0i "hicA are confirmed Dy L4htus "lsco
cries. Among caaib connecting riYer@, fes,r
miles and % feet deep, etc "a THESE
canals cOnveytd ~ Vessels as carry "a & d.
9G3 The walls whicn llhcd The Edphrdes, al BA"! on
we're Is feet thick the river was crossed by peAh-
neut bridge, ana Drne"tn IL was tunnel lie Walls Oh
the city 3G miles circuit 20 ieet han, ahd u
feet thick according Plnv, al nOugh another his
Ortan makes them more extensive, Od,s,do tno wan
several huuured f'eL vide add ~ T'cs deep
Tho hanging gardens wonders Oi engIeerng Skill
The various Applications OF rnginreTluB skI 10 ID-
t,ry movements were not described, and tue pans
adouted many 20 overcome ODstaoles VI
nature we're illus1fd.ed. Alexander IN MS con
quests, proceeded along the BosphOruA anh eastern
shores OF the Mediterranean 10 Tyre ana ESpt,
and thence car ried hls nrcr across the sAurt
portages to'the Persian and Indian reyefs when iu
south ward 10 the ocean Ghcngls hhin. d
great conquerOr, avgIled himself OT lhese wafer
courses convey Ais Immense armies spout
10 the Rhine ana southwark 70 the Indan OCEAN AHo
Alexander The civilized tementso OF North America
were confined to the nayieabe water courses nhu lo
locomotive opened the interior and disperse We pOpu
atlOn These onA highways were crOss'u III 'ie
earliest time bridges, AMI tic Suspension DiuRcs VI
Peru Central Africa and TnbeI, made 90 nDrOds roofs
are Traced back the earliest Lne-. WOODEN DIsVs,
with stone PIERS but Win snort spans arc frequency
mentioned by Ancient historians, and WIN "a,
bridges of boats over the Eupn.tas yes, s,S rnu
ton has made great progress at dinerent lnterVas
extending the sixth century before christ 10 ne
tenth centurv OF the present era. II Canals we hhu
those for irrigation extonued for long Instances W
ION and Egypt, ana even IN lndIa aud existed INV Yeas
before Christ They doubtless used Tor tra- pof.
ton At later date the canal connecting the " &c
with the Nile repeatedly opened, rom the SA 70
the eighth century OF our era Inc hoinans p""nut
canals IA Fl during the fret 400 years OF me ~
era aud me great canal OF emma may Do eonsiaeAeu
the sat light a the ancient works.
APLAN TO DEPLETE THE TREASURY.
frPu A