Correspondence

Mr. Ferrington has reported to the Council that Mr. H. C. Toy, M.Sc., A.M.Inst.C.E., (Associate-Member), passed away on Dec. 13th. Mr. Toy was a valued member of the Midland Counties Branch Committee and has worked hard for the benefit of the Institution. He was a member of the Bridge Office Staff of the City of Birmingham Corporation. At the funeral Mr. V. H. Lawton, Vice-chairman of the Branch, attended a.s the representative of the Institution.

The PRESIDENT (LIEUT. COL. J. MITCHELL MONCRIEFF) said they had listened to a most interesting address, full of good things. It had not been intended that any discussion should take place; they had come to sit at the feet of Gamaliel, and had done so; but perhaps Mr. Rimmer would not mind if some present said a word or two from their own personal experience. Many of them had had a lot of experierwe in connection with contract work. He agreed with practically everything that Mr. Rimmer had said. There were great difficulties facing the engineer in connection with carrying out contract work. He (the President) had frequently let sub-contracts and then handed them over to the general contractor with a proper remuneration (sometimes ten per cent.), fixed on them. The finest contract he had ever had was written on a sheet of notepaper such as Mr. Rimmer had spoken of. This contract had been entered into thirty years ago between himself and the present Chairman of the Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors, and had been for a small matter that he wanted done quickly. In that case he had been an old friend of the contractor’s father, and the contractor himself had been “Charles” to him. He had said, “Charles, I want you to do certain work. I have no conditions of contract except the one I have written out, that the work, materials and everything shall be done to the entire satisfaction of J. M. M. Will you sign it ?” The contractor had replied “ Certainly,” and the contract had gone through without any trouble whatever.

(l) Ship Construction (and .Appendix I). (2) Boiler Construction. (3) Boiler and Ship Repairs. (4) Railways and Tramways. (5) Steel Structures (and Appendixes 2A, 2B and 2C). (6) Masts and Towers. (7) Reinforced Concrete Construction. (8) Pipe Line Construction. (9) Construction of Tanks and Gas Holders. (10) Fabricated Construction of Machines. (11) Miscellaneous Repairs. Appendix (1) Example of an all Electrically Welded Barge. (2A) Welded Construction in England, 1920/21. (2B) Welded Construction in Europe+ (2C) Welded Construction in U.S.A.+ (3A) Summary Results of Tests. (3B) A.W.P. Tests of Ducol Steel Joints. (3C) Note re Welding Tests. (4) Other relative papers and reports by the Author. Major James Caldwell