The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 68

"Mechanical Engineering

" Mechanical Engineering.

"I. The Steam Engine (Elements)—Early forms of steam engines, improvements of Watt; heat, nature of, conversion of work into: experiments of Bumford, Davy and Joule; expansion of gases; expansion of steam, superheating, the steam jacket, the compound engine: various types of stationary engines, various types of boilers, the marine steam engine, the screw popeller, the locomotive engine.

"II. Steam Engine (advanced.)—Third Year.—Heat Engines, the steam engine viewed under a knowledge of the doctrine of heat: theory of the expansion of steam and the compound engine: action of the crank, diagrams of twisting moments, inertia of the moving parts; valve gears geometrically considered; general proporties and proportions of details; proportions of steam boilers; hot air, gas, and other engines.

"III. Applied Mechanics and Elements of Mechanism.—Force, matter, measurement of velocity, laws of motion, motion of falling bodies, energy, inertia, work and friction, parallelogram of forces, centre of gravity, the mechanical powers, equilibrium and pressure of fluids. Equilibrium and pressure of gases, pumps, the hydraulic press and hydraulic cranes, motion in one plane, circular motion, the conversion of motion, the teeth of wheels, use of wheels in trains, aggregate motion, link work, Paucellier's straight line motion, parallel motion, miscellaneous contrivances.

"IV. Strength of Materials—Tensile stress, compressive stress, shearing stress, transverse stress, torsional stress, elastic limit, elastic strength, strain, absolute strength, modulus of elasticity, permanent set, riveted joints, strength of pillars, pillars under transverse stress, chains, beams, girders, roofs, wrinkling strains, impact, collapse of tubes, deflection of beams, fatigue of materials, factor of safety.

"V. Practical Geometry—Practical plane geometry, practical solid geometry, intersection and projection of solids, expansion of surfaces.

"VI. Freehand Drawing—Sketching from diagrams and machines, sketching for drawings, sketching to scale.

"VII. Mechanical Drawing—Drawing office practice, copying, drawing from sketches, designing to suit special conditions.

As the result of observation in the other Colonies, I have formed the opinion that the staff (1) a Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, and (2) a Lecturer in Civil Engineering, with which the College opened the school, is amply sufficient at present for its purposes. I might here remind the Board that though the School of Engineering in Melbourne was opened in 1861, it was not till 1882 that a professor was appointed. At Sydney the school was also opened by the establishment of a lectureship. I venture to think we may safely follow the example of those Colonies and proceed cautiously, developing the department as the success of the school warrants and our means admit. I hardly think the time has yet come for giving effect to the resolutions of the Board passed in April, 1887, by making an appointment to the Chair of Engineering. The resignation of the gentleman who was filling the post of Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering as a part-time lecturer, and the difficulty in filling his position in that way, has contributed to force upon the Board the reconsideration of the position. Moreover, the question of increased instruction, in consequence of having to provide for the second as well as the first year's students, must have been dealt with before the opening of the term in March, 1890. I think it will meet present requirements if the Board renews the appointment of the Lecturer in Civil Engineering. For the purposes of the School of Engineering, the teaching now given by the Lecturer in Civil Engineering is, I think, sufficient. Before dealing with the question of the appointment of some competent person to continue the work begun by the late lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, I would like to lay shortly before the Board one or two points that should be borne in mind in filling the office. While the Board should not lose sight of the necessity of making provision for instruction in the School of Engineering, other than that provided by the re-appointment of a lecturer in Civil Engineering to enable such of our students who desire to do so to take a degree in the School of Engineering, which covers Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mining Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Surveying and Architecture, it should also keep in view another side of the question which I venture to think is of almost paramount importance. I allude to a system of evening classes, by which foremen in factories and workshops, mechanics, apprentices and others who are engaged during the day in or near the city may be afforded the means of perfecting themselves in their respective vocations. That, I take it, would be carrying out in a way, and in no unimportant manner, one of the purposes for which the endowment for a School of Technical Science was made. It might not be out of place if I here draw the attention of the Board to what is being done in the Working Men's College, at Melbourne—an institution that I was shown over when I was in Australia. A copy of the report and prospectus for 1887, and of the prospectus for 1889, I have caused to be laid upon the table. A reference to those pamphlets will show that a great work is being carried on in that institution, not only in the direction to which I have invited the attention of this Board, but in many other equally useful subjects, which are hardly within the province of this College. The Board, by the Ordinance, is charged with the duty of providing a liberal and regular course of education, and in founding a School of Engineering, and making due provision for its maintenance, it will have discharged in that direction one of the duties imposed upon it. But it has also cast upon it the administration of the funds of the endowment of the School of Technical Science, and this appears to me to be a fitting opportunity for the Board to consider the question from all its bearings. I think this College, looking to the experience in the other Colonies, with their large populations, of the number of students in the Schools of Engineering at Melbourne and Sydney, cannot expect any considerable number of students to attend the lectures with the object of ultimately graduating in the School of Engineering. Hence the greater necessity, while providing instruction which will enable those to take a degree who wish to do so, to establish popular classes, and, by so doing, to offer to a very large class the opportunity of profiting by a course of instruction which cannot but prove of the greatest advantage to them in their respective callings, and open to such of them as may see their way to take advantage of it, the means of obtaining a profession. I have satisfied myself that the whole of the elementary lectures could be given by means of evening classes, and thus made available not only for the students who intend to proceed to a degree, but for all others who may choose to attend them. These classes can be made to cover instruction in building construction, elementary steam engine, geometrical drawing, freehand drawing, mechanical drawing, and a proportion of the lectures in the advanced steam engine, applied mechanics, and elements of mechanism.

In order to make these classes popular in the true sense of the word the fee might be fixed at a price that would put them within the reach of all. Those who have watched the progress of events in the development of superior education in this district will remember that this College the outcome of the evening classes initiated by the "Collegiate Union." The Canterbury College, as it exists at the present day, with an attendance of 240 students at the different lectures, had a very small beginning. Therefore, there is every reason to hope that the school of engineering may be successfully established if it is launched on a proper basis, on one that will prove attractive to the very large and important class that I have already alluded to, and from which we may reasonably expect to draw a large number of students. I have referred to the fact that under any circumstances it would have been necessary for the College to provide increased instruction in the department of mechanical engineering before the commencement of the first term in March, 1890. I would therefore recommend the Board to appoint some competent person to the post of lecturer in mechanical engineering, who would devote the whole of his time to the duties of his office. The expense in the way of an increased vote for the salary of a full time lecturer is one the College must have faced under any circumstances. If the College thinks well of the suggestions I have made, steps could be taken for the extension of the system of evening classes without any additional expense to the department by way of salary over and above that which must have been incurred to provide the increased instruction by reason of the lectures to be given to first and second year students. Both in Melbourne and Sydney the services of skilled workmen are employed in the laboratories of the University, but I do not see any necessity why this Board at present should be called upon to make any provision in that way.

For the efficient establishment of the School of Engineering an outlay, though not necessarily by any means a large one, will have to be incurred for buildings. One of two ways may be followed, either by the erection of a temporary structure or by putting up a permanent building. I The authority of His Excellency the Governor might be sought, as is provided by the College Ordinance, for the raising of a small loan for the purpose, the interest! on which can be readily met out of the increased revenue of the endowment. In either case a loan would have to be raised if the College decide on the erection of buildings; it is only a question of amount. I fail to see how the work of the department can be done with advantage to the students or credit to the lecturers without the necessary buildings. The Board has before it the cost (£1500) of the buildings of brick, with a slate roof, erected by the University in Sydney and the accommodation provided. Presuming that a similar sum were spent by this College the annual charge for interest would not exceed £90 a year. I venture to think it would be better to put up a permanent building at a reasonable cost rather than erect some temporary "structure, possibly of corrugated iron. It would not only, I believe, be cheaper in the end, but would have this additional advantage which should not be lost sight of, of being, I trust, in harmony with the building in which we are now assembled. The Board, no doubt, will agree with me that on the College site we have, as it is, more than a sufficient variety in material in our buildings. A certain expenditure will also be necessary for plant, but the amount to be spent from time to time would be regulated by the Board. A total outlay of about £1500, extended over a period of say four years, would, I believe, be found sufficient for the efficient working of the department for years to come. That portion of the plant—(1) a testing machine arranged to test strength and elasticity of materials in tension and compression, (2) a transverse strength-testing machine, (3) verniers and measuring appliances—which would be required at once might be purchased out of capital, the remainder being pro-Tided out of income as the funds would allow of it.