varying amounts of tractive power represented changes such as would be produced by the train descending about one inch, and again rising one inch, in every 25 feet of its advance. And at 52 miles per hour, the same variations were equivalent to a descent, and then an ascent of the train, in every 25 feet of its advance, of nearly 2 inches.

Some admissions had been made by Mr. Bidder which were valuable to the cause advocated in the Paper, inasmuch as he had stated, as the result of his great experience of two-cylinder locomotives, that violent oscillations did sometimes occur when least expected, as when the engine was travelling on a straight road, and that road an excellent road; thus fully confirming the opinion, that great causes of oscillation existed essentially in the ordinary twocylinder locomotive, so that at high speeds great oscillation would occur, however perfect the road on which it travelled.

He thought he had established, if not a certainty, at least the probability, that were the permanent way mathematically perfect, locomotive engines of the ordinary construction would create lateral and oscillatory movements of a grave character at high speeds, and also results similar to those produced by numerous small depressions in the level of the rails.

December 9, 1862.

CHARLES HUTTON GREGORY, Vice-President,
in the Chair.

The discussion upon the Paper No. 1,076, "On some of the Internal Disturbing Forces of Locomotive Engines," by Mr. A. W. MAKINSON, was continued throughout the evening, to the exclusion of any other subject.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.

December 16, 1862.

JOHN FOWLER, M.P., Vice-President,

in the Chair.

MESSRS. T. M. SMITH, HARRISON HAYTER, and W. HALL, were requested to act as Scrutineers of the Ballot, for the election of the President, Vice-Presidents, and other Members and Associates of Council.

The list of the attendances of the Members of Council for the past year was read, and the Ballot was commenced; the ballotingpapers being sent for examination, at intervals of fifteen minutes, in order to expedite the labours of the Scrutineers.

The Annual Report of the Council, on the proceedings of the Institution during the past year, was read.

Resolved, That the Report of the Council be received and approved; and that it be referred to the Council, to be printed and circulated with the Minutes of Proceedings, in the usual

manner.

Resolved, That the thanks of the Institution are due, and are presented to Messrs. Stileman and Bramwell, for the readiness with which they undertook the office of Auditors of Accounts, and for the clear statement they have laid before the Meeting; and that Messrs. Bramwell and John V. N. Bazalgette be requested to undertake the office of Auditors for the ensuing year.

The Telford and Watt Medals, the Stephenson and Miller Prizes in money, and the Council and Manby Premiums of Books, which had been awarded, were presented.

Resolved, That the thanks of the Institution are justly due, and are presented to the Vice-Presidents and other Members of the Council, for their co-operation with the President, their constant attendance at the Meetings, and their zeal on behalf of the Institution.

Mr. Gregory, Vice-President, returned thanks.

Resolved unanimously,-That the cordial thanks of the Meeting be given to Mr. Hawkshaw, President, for his strenuous efforts in

the interests of the Institution, for his extraordinary attention to the duties of his office, and for the urbanity he has at all times displayed in the Chair.

Mr. Fowler, Vice-President, returned thanks, in the unavoidable absence of the President.

Resolved unanimously, That the cordial thanks of the Meeting be given to Mr. Charles Manby, the Honorary Secretary, and to Mr. James Forrest, the Secretary, for their constant zeal and devotion to the interests of the Institution, the ability displayed by them in the execution of their duties, and their attention to the individual wishes of the Members.

Mr. Manby and Mr. Forrest severally returned thanks.

The Ballot having been open more than an hour, the Scrutineers, after examining the papers, announced that the following gentlemen were duly elected to fill the several offices in the Council for the ensuing year:

SirW.G. Armstrong, C.B., F.R.S. George Willoughby Hemans.

Nathaniel Beardmore.

Joseph Cubitt.

Thomas Elliot Harrison.

Thomas Hawksley.

John Murray.

George Robert Stephenson.

John Towlerton Leather.

Resolved, That the thanks of the Meeting be given to Messrs. Smith, Hayter, and Hall, the Scrutineers, for the promptitude and efficiency with which they have performed the duties of their office, and that the ballot-papers be destroyed.

ANNUAL REPORT.

SESSION 1862-63.

THE term of office of the present Council being about to expire, it becomes their duty to present a Report to the general body upon the state of the Institution, and particularly upon the proceedings of the past year; and they hope to show, that its interests have been satisfactorily advanced since the conduct of its affairs was committed to them.

The actual business of the Institution will alone be dealt with in this Report. Commencing, then, with what must ever be considered to stand first in order of importance-the Ordinary General Meetings-it may be stated, that the principal Papers read during the past Session were:-"The Hooghly and the Mutla," by J. A. Longridge, (M. Inst. C.E.); "On Measuring Distances by the Telescope," by W. B. Bray, (M. Inst. C.E.); "On the Discharge from Under-drainage, and its effect on the Arterial Channels and Outfalls of the Country," by J. Bailey Denton, (M. Inst. C.E.); "On the Form and Materials for Iron-Plated Ships, and the points requiring attention in their Construction," by J. D'A. Samuda, (M. Inst. C.E.); "Description of the Loch Ken Viaduct, Portpatrick Railway," by E. L. J. Blyth, (M. Inst. C.E.); "Description of the Centre Pier of the Saltash Bridge on the Cornwall Railway, and of the means employed for its Construction," by R. P. Brereton, (M. Inst. C.E.); "Description of the Delta of the Danube, and of the Works, recently executed, at the Sulina Mouth," by Sir C. A. Hartley, (M. Inst. C.E.); "Description of Works at the Ports of Swansea, Blyth, and Silloth," by J. Abernethy, (M. Inst. C.E.); "Railway Accidents, their Čauses and means of Prevention," by J. Brunlees, (M. Inst. C.E.); "Railway Accidents, showing the bearing which existing legislation has upon them," by Captain Douglas Galton, R.E., (Assoc. Inst. C.E.); "On the Sea Dykes of Schleswig and Holstein, and on Reclaiming Land from the Sea," by J. Paton, (M. Inst. C.E.); "On Reclaiming Land from Seas and Estuaries," by J. Oldham, (M. Inst. C.E.); "On Reclaiming Land from Seas and Estuaries," by J. H. Müller, (of the Hague); "The Malta and Alexandria Submarine Tele[1862-63. N.S.]

I

graph Cable," by H. C. Forde, (M. Inst. C.E.); and "On the Electrical Tests employed during the construction of the Malta and Alexandria Telegraph, and on insulating and protecting Submarine Cables," by C. W. Siemens, (M. Inst. C.E.)

A brief epitome of some of these will bring to your recollection the amount of useful information thus collected, the variety of the subjects treated, and the animated discussions which arose on several of the Engineering topics of the day.

In his "Description of the Delta of the Danube, and of the Works, recently executed, at the Sulina Mouth," Sir Charles Augustus Hartley, the Chief Engineer of the European Commission of the Danube, first gave an account of the chief characteristics of the river through its delta, and then of the three principal channels, or branches, with their numerous outlets, by which it reached the sea. It was stated, that great diversity of opinion existed as to the relative merits of these several branches, or mouths, and their capability for improvement. Eventually, after considerable discussion, it was resolved to improve the bar channel of the Sulina, by guiding piers of a temporary character, in order to afford the speediest relief to the navigation in the cheapest manner; but it was agreed at the time, that this decision should not prejudice the choice of the mouth to be selected for permanent treatment. A detailed description of the works, and of their mode of execution, then followed, from which it appeared that the length of the north pier was 4,631 feet, and of the south pier 3,000 feet. They were built in a depth of water varying from 6 to 20 feet, at a cost of about £80,000; a sum which did not exceed the amount paid in one year for lightening vessels over the bar. The changes which had taken place at the Sulina mouth, consequent on the projection of the piers, were then noticed. At the time when the works were commenced, the depth over the bar was only 9 feet, whereas after their completion, when the whole force of the river current was concentrated directly on the bar, there never was a less depth than 16 feet, and it frequently amounted to 17 feet, over a navigable width of 500 feet. These works, as well as being of political importance, possessed great engineering interest, and had been completed up to their present stage most successfully.

In the Paper "On Reclaiming Land from Seas and Estuaries," by Mr. John Müller (of the Hague), it was stated that, the reclamation of large areas was the least expensive in the end, and that the object should be to enclose the largest area, with the shortest length of bank, and the smallest average cross section. These points were regulated by the direction and situation of the sea banks; and the conditions to be observed in determining these preliminaries were then noticed. The defences of the slopes of the works alluded to consisted of clay and grass flags, wood, and