enter into the problem. This attachment is in advance of all hitherto known methods of comparing end measures, either with other end measures or with line standards, both as to rapidity of manipulation and accuracy of its readings. The strong point in its construction being that it refers all end measures to a carefully divided and investigated standard bar, which is not touched during its use, and cannot be in the slightest degree injured by this service, thus giving convincing assurance that the measures and ganges produced by its use will be accurate and interchange able. In the opinion of this committee, the degree of accuracy already attained is such that no future improvements can occasion changes sufficiently great to affect the practical usefulness of the magnitudes here determined, or the interchangeability of structures based upon them with those involving further refinements. Professor W. A. Rogers and Mr. George M. Bond are unquestionably entitled to great credit for the admirable manner in which they have solved the problem of exact and uniform measurement, while the enterprise of the Pratt & Whitney Co., in bringing the whole matter into practical shape, is deserving of the thanks of the engineering community. J. SELLERS BANCROFT, Secretary of the Committee. HENRY MORTON, President. S. W. ROBINSON. OBERLIN SMITH. E. H. PARKS. AMBROSE SWASEY. CHAS. T. PORTER. ALFRED BETTS. GEORGE R. STETSON. The President.-Is there any discussion on this report? Mr. Miller. I move that the report be accepted with thanks, and ordered to be printed. Agreed to. The report of the Committee on Tests of Iron, Steel, and other Metals, was read by Professor Egleston, as follows: "The Committee on Tests of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers beg respectfully to report that they printed and sent out 3,750 copies of the memorial which was adopted at the Philadelphia meeting, to the colleges and technical schools of the United States, to the iron and steel manufacturers, to the members of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and to the mill insurance companies of the New England States. "Up to June 1st, 1,500 signatures, with the profession and addresses of the signers attached, had been received to the memorial. Copies of all of them were sent to the Hon. J. M. Campbell, Chairman of the Committee on Manufactures of the House of Representatives. The originals it was thought best to retain for future use, and they are now in the possession of your committee. It is believed that many signatures to the memorial were sent independently, and of these no copies have been sent to the committee. At the request of the Committee on Manufactures, every member of both Houses of Congress was furnished with a copy of the discussion on tests at the Philadelphia meeting. "Your committee also issued two circulars, which were sent with the memorials. One was sent to colleges and technical schools, asking their Faculties to send to the Hon. J. M. Campbell, at Washington, resolutions indorsing this memorial. The other requested those to whom it was sent personally to urge the support of the bill upon the Representatives from their district, and Senators from their State. A copy of each of these circulars is appended to this report. "The committee had several interviews with Hon. J. M. Campbell, and with a number of other members of the House and Senate, and received from them the assurance that if the bill H. R. 4,726 did not pass Congress at the session of last spring, they would do their utmost to have it pass during the coming session. "Your committee believes that the vigorous efforts made by the Society had a great deal to do with the passage of the appropriation of $10,000 for the use of the testing machine at Watertown. "In the judgment of this committee, it seems worth while that the efforts of the Society in this direction should be continued during the coming year. Appended are copies of the circulars issued by the committee: AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS. GENTLEMEN : COMMITTEE ON TESTS. NEW YORK, May 22d, 1882. A bill proposed by the American Society of Civil Engineers, in conjunction with members of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, for the appointment of a commission to test metals and materials used in construction, and numbered H. R., 4,726, has been introduced into the House of Representatives, and unanimously reported to the House for passage by the Committee on Manufactures, of which Hon. J. M. Campbell, of Pennsylvania, is Chairman. We are informed that, in order to have this bill become a law, interest in it must be shown, and it must be made evident that those interested in education, men of science, engineers, and others feel the need of such a commission. We therefore beg to ask you that the Faculty of your Institution will pass resolutions in favor of such a measure and forward the same to the Chairman of this Committee, to be sent to Washington with the least possible delay. Also, that you will use what influence you are able to command to induce Members of Congress to favor the creation of the commission. In view of the magnificent industrial development of this country in the past, as well as its present prosperity, so much of which is due to the scientific knowledge and practical skill of our constructive engineers, the working capacity of whom can be so greatly augmented by a knowledge of facts, obtainable in the manner above mentioned, at a much less cost than by imperfect individual research, the committee request your assistance in this matter. T. EGLESTON, Chairman, School of Mines, E. 49th Street, N. Y. Miller, Metcalf & Parkin, Pittsburg, Pa. 13 Devonshire Street, Boston, Mass. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS. DEAR SIR: COMMITTEE ON TESTS. NEW YORK, May 22, 1882. The bill for Testing Metals and Constructive Materials has been unanimously passed by the Committee on Manufactures, at Washington, and will soon be put on its passage in the House of Representatives. A vigorous opposition to it has been developed. The Committee of this Society is urged, by the Hon. J. M. Campbell, to secure influence in favor of the bill from as many quarters as possible. At his suggestion, you are earnestly urged to write yourself, at once, and to get others interested in the bill to write to both the Representatives from your District, and the Senators from your State, urging the passage of the bill as a measure likely to promote the welfare and interest of the United States. A special edition of the debate at the late meeting of the Society in Philadelphia, is now being prepared for the use of Members of Congress. Yours, truly, T. EGLESTON, Chairman, School of Mines, E. 49th Street, N. Y. Miller, Metcalf & Parkin, Pittsburg, Pa. 13 Devonshire Street, Boston, Mass. Prof. Hutton.-I move that the committee be thanked for its services, that the committee be continued, and that the report be accepted and printed. Agreed to. Mr. Woodbury.-I move that the Secretary of the Society be instructed to transmit to the Pratt & Whitney Company of Hartford, Connecticut, an attested copy of the report of the Committee on Standard Measurements. Agreed to. Mr. Oberlin Smith.-I beg to offer this resolution : Resolved, That the hearty acknowledgments of this Society are due to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, the Hudson River Tunnel Company, the Brooklyn Bridge Company, the New York Steam Company, the Morgan Iron Works and the Brush, Edison, and United States Electric Lighting Companies, for courtesies rendered and attentions shown to its guests and to itself, and that the Secretary be ordered to convey to them the sense of this resolution. Agreed to. Mr. Woodbury.-I beg to offer this resolution: Resolved, That the thanks of the Society are due to the local Committee of Arrangements for the annual meeting, and especially to its Sub-committees on Excursions and on Printing and Press Notices, for their most effective and satisfactory action in the duties with which they have been respectively charged, and that the Secretary is hereby instructed to communicate to them this resolution. Agreed to. The President.-A part of our work of yesterday has been omitted. We had a paper by Mr. Smith on "The Preservation of Drawings," and we were compelled to omit the discussion of the paper owing to the lapse of our time this morning. Has any gentleman any remarks to make upon the paper on "The Preservation of Drawings," which was heard yesterday? Is there any discussion? If not, we will go on to the next paper by Prof. Webb on a “New Form of Indicator." Prof. Webb then read his paper, and discussion followed. At the close of the discussion, the President gave the invitation. to visit the stations of the electric lighting systems. The President.-I will say here, before calling for another paper, that the gentlemen are expected to meet the Presidents of the Electric Lighting Companies immediately on adjournment. They will explain their methods at the Hoffman House, and then there will be an opportunity of visiting their stations and seeing the machines in operation. Is there any other business to be presented? Mr. Holloway.-I do not know that it is necessary to make a motion; but I desire to say, before the meeting closes, that some of us would desire to have the committee on future meetings, or the Council, take into consideration the advisability of having the next meeting in some Western city-possibly Cleveland. The President.-The Council have taken no action as yet in the matter, and there has been no invitation extended to the Society to meet at any other point. There is a strong disposition among |