Issue 4

With regard to the mineral acids-e.g., hydrochloric, nitric, and sulphuric acids-there is little to be said. Neither cement nor concrete will withstand the action of these acids, which decompose and dissolve the constituents of cement, even in dilute solution. Even a weak acid, like carbonic acid, has a distinct action upon cement, which, suspended in water, can be practically entirely carbonated- by passing a current of carbon dioxide into it. W Laurence Gadd

When I think of the papers that I have listened to at the meetings of the Concrete Institute on various occasions papers of the highest technical interest to the members of your profession I feel that I owe you an apology for venturing to read a paper the title of which concerns you only in the abstract, and not - may I say it ? -in the concrete. In extenuation, however, I would mention that the reasons for my offence are twofold. In the first place, the title of the paper was supplied to me by our Secretary, and secondly, because I feel very strongly that so revolutionary a suggestion should, in the first place, be submitted to the members of the Concrete Institute for their opinion before it is discussed-as it undoubtedly will be in the near future at the headquarters of the members of my own profession. John M Theobald

In presenting this paper one is beset with certain difficulties. There is no statute law which is specially applicable to the subject in hand, and of reported cases relating specially to concrete there are none. Nevertheless, it has occurred to me that there are certain aspects of the law relating to building and engineering contracts which may be of interest to members of this Institute, and I am indebted to your Council for giving me this opportunity of setting them before you. I hope to draw attention to a few considerations which may properly be kept in view by the parties to a contract which involves the use of concrete or reinforced concrete. W Valentine Ball

It affords me very much pleasure, in addressing you for the first time as President of the Concrete Institute, to congratulate you upon the various subjects that have been taken up by the Committees during the past year, and also upon the satisfactory state of the Institute’s membership, which, I am pleased to see, is gradually increasing, and it is the hope of the Council that before another two or three years are passed the membership will be doubled. E Wells

ALTHOUGH reinforced concrete has been much dealt with during recent years, yet the writer does not think that the subject has been touched upon from a tropical point of view to much extent. H C Huggins