The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-05-27
The Engineering Achievements Of tho
Century.

which it will be most famous and longest
remembered. Theologians and philoso-
piers may split hairs about metaphysical
science, but they will all join in the eel
ebration of what the engineers have done
tor modern progress.
The past fifty years have been the
most fruitful in the whole history of en-
gineering, and therefore the review of
its accomplishments in that time, given
in recent address by Mr.. William
Barlow, the President of the Institution
OF Civil Engineers of England, has a
general interest. When that institution
was chartered in 1928 the question of
transportation was one of great urgency.
Ihe canals, which dated in England
from about the year 1853, had increased
to length exceeding 5000 miles, but
they were inadequate to the commercial
needs of the country. In the United
States the Erie Canal had been opened
in 1928, and had been hailed as an en-
glneering feat OF astonishing magnitude,
and at about the same time lesser canals
had been constructed in other States.
Both here and in England much atten-
ton was bestowed on turnpike roads
during the first quarter of the century.
Ihe steam locomotive was then only
IN its early experimental stages. In 1880.
however, the Liverpool and Manchester
Railway was opened, and George Ste-
phenson's predictions regarding the value
of locomotives for tractive power bepan
to be realized. So great was the want
OF improved methods of transportation,
that the spread of the railway system
was rapid far beyond even Stephenson's
expectation. In his address to the Brit
ish Association in 1875, forty-five wears
after, Sir John Hawkshaw estimated the
total length of railroads then existing at
100000 miles, and the total capital in
vested in them at SIG, ZOO, 600, 900.
Since that time railroad extension has
gone on throughout the world, though
during the last five years, owing to the
prevailing business depression, the prog
ress has not been SO rapid as it was lust
previously. Yeteven in England, which
already seemed well supplied with rail-
ways, the increase in miles was more
than two thousand between 1870 and
1880, and the railway traffic has nearly
quadrupled in twenty-five wears. With
us, from 1872, the year when railways
were built with such astonishing rapidi-
ty, reaching 7,340 miles of new construc-
tions, up to last year, there was decline
in the progress; but 1879 witnessed the
addition of 4. 4.430 miles of rail, and 1880
promises to be one of the most active
years we have ever known in the busi-
ness. The total mileage of railway in
the United States was, at the beginning
OF 1880, 86,263 miles, or one mile of rail-
road for every 574 inhabitants, a ratio
greatly in excess Of that of Europe, which
has one mile of railroad to every $500
persons.
Outside the new railroads to be built
In the United States, there is field enough
for railroad extension in Asia and Africa.
China has as yet no railroads, japan
has only begun to lay them, and Africa
IS almost without railways for the $780,
100000 inhabitants Mr.. Brassey gives
that continent. South America, also, is
still only supplied to very limited ex-
tent, and in Central Asia they must be
vastly extended.
Steam navigation has had nearly its
whole growth within the last fifty years.
1t is true there were 344 steam vessels in
existence in 1928, but they were of an
average OF only about ninety tons each,
md were chiefly employed in river and
,oasting traffic. Ocean steam naviga-
ion had not yet been attempted, and not
Until 1888 did the successful VOYAGES of
he Sirius and Great Western make it an
accomplished fact. Before 1886 the
argest ships af1oat were between 800 and
700 tons burden, and about 22O horse
,ower. Now the Cunard steamship Ser
ia is of $500 tons, and 10000 horse
,ower, while the Inflexible of the Brit
sh navy has tonnage of 11,600 tons,
md its engines power of 5000 horses,
md the Italia of the Italian navy will be
# 1920 tons burden and $4,000 horse
,ower.
The telegraph, which was first brought
ntO practical use in this country in 1874,
'etween Washington and Baltimore, en-
'lOyed 400, 900 miles of wire as long ago
s 1875. Since that time its extension
nder the sea and on land has been enor
nous.
The employment Of gas as a means of
Illumination was only beginning fifty
ears ago, but now the capital invested
n the London Gas Works alone amounts
0 100000, 900, and in the whole United
Kingdom it amounts to 5000, 100000.
And these are only a few of the enoi-
eering achievements of the half century,
fr. Barlow estimates the total capital
1vested in engineering works during
hat time at $17, 500, 900, 900, or about
$50, 100000 annually. OF this vast
um nineteen-twentieths belong to rail-
rays, steamships. docks, harbors, and
elegraphs, all of which are directed to
and extending the means of
transport for passengers and merchan-
Use, and the communication of intelli-
ence.
The great feature of the last half cent
ry, therefore, has been the Improvement
I the methods of transportation, in
bedience to the urgent demand made by
ommerce for new and swifter means OF
Y. Sum-
John Y Lamb who diad tho <,tbo.