Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-06
ENGINEERS PLAN
HYDRAULIC STUDY
Europe to Be Visited to Get
Ideas for New U. S.
Laboratory.

The American Engineering Council,
launching world study of water prob
lens, yesterday announced the appoint
ment OF six civilian engineers to serve
on an advisory committee. which, under
Dr. George K. Burgess. director of the
United States Bureau of Standards. will
plan the design and equipment of the
National Hydraulic Research Laboratory
recently authorized by Congress.
Two OF the members of this advisory
BODY, John r. Freeman of Providence,
r. l., international authority on by
draulics, ond William B. Gregory. pro-
lessor of experimental engineering in
Tulane University, will spend several
months studying the principal hydraulic
laboratories of Europe. particularly
those of Berlin, Munich and Zurich, it
was announced.
The new laboratory. for which Con-
gress has appropriated S350,000. will be
the center of studies that will attack
problems involving the expenditure of
hundreds of millions of dollars annually
Hydraulic engineers are clamoring for
more and more accurate data to meet
their problems and large savings to in
dustry are expected to result from re-
search work.
Has Tentative Plans.
Mr.. Freeman has prepared tentative
plans for the laboratory which will be
established at the Bureau of Standards.
1t will be completed in about year and
ready to function in two years. Mr..
lean Society of Civil Engineers and the
American Society of Mechanical En-
gineers.
Other engineering members of the
advisory committee are Sherman M
Woodward, professor of mechanics and
hydraulics at the University of Iowa;
Lewis F. Moody, consulting engineer. of
Philadelphia; Ely c. Hutchinson, editor
of Power, New York, and Blake r. Van
Leer, assistant secretary of the Ameri-
can Engineering Council, Washington.
On the committee also are the fol-
lowing representatives of Government
departments: j. P. Dean, Office of chief
of Engineers, War Department.; S. H.
McCrory, chief of the Division of Agri-
cultural Engineering, United States Bu-
reau of Public Roads, Department of
Agriculture; N. c. Grover, chief hy-
draulic engineer for the United States
Geological Survey. Department of the
Interior. and E. w. Lane of the Recla-
nation Bureau, Department of the In
terror, Denver, Colo.
Seek Basic Data.
The laboratory will determine funda-
mental data useful in hydraulic re-
search and engineering, including labo-
ratory research relating to the behavior
and control of river and harbor wa
tiers, the study Of hydraulic structures
and water flow and the development
and testing of hydraulic instruments
and accessories
The hydraulic laboratory" DR.. Bur-
gasS explained has become an absolute
necessity to hydraulic engineers who
are engaged in the design of reclama-
ton works, water-supply systems
plumbing systems. canals, control works
for rivers and harbors and hydraulic
turbines. pumps and accessories of all
kinds.
Carefully conducted tests in such
laboratory furnished data which enable
the designer to keep the cost of his
structure to a minimum and. what is
even more important, give assurance that
the structure will perform its assigned
task in the future in the most effective
way possible and with minimum cost
for upkeep.
viii Help Engineers.
This country is spending hundreds of
millions of dollars annually in engineer
ing works of hydraulic nature Our
engineers have developed probably the
best and most economical methods in
the world lot Cre nanQllng OF enormous
quantities of materials and for the erec-
ton of the structures.
But they have lacked exact data and
a detailed understanding of the process
of flow which would have enabled them
to improve greatly upon the funda-
mental features of their design"
The idea of a national hydraulic re-
search laboratory was first proposed by
Mr.. Freeman in a presidential address
before the American Society of Civil
Engineers, L. w. wallace, executive sec
rotary of the American Engineering
Council, said, Senator Joseph E.
Ransdell of Louisiana had long cher
ished the same idea, in fact had dis
cussed such proposal with officials of
the American Engineering Council,
which was instrumental in bringing Mr.
Freeman and Senator Ransdell together
to discuss ways and means of bringing
about realization of the project
THE legislation was begun in the
SiXty-seventh Congress, September 8,
1922, when Senator Ransdell introduced
Senate joint resolution 209. The ques-
ton was then officially brought to the
attention of the American Engineering
Council, which organization Endorsed
the idea and has since continuously
supported it."