But the extension of the manufactures of this country, and the consequent augmentation both of its internal and foreign commerce, have, in more recent times, called forth all the energies of the people, who, in the works performed for facilitating the means of com municating between one place and another, and in the practice of the useful arts, have risen to an eminence which other nations have not been able to attain. Among the former may be mentioned the numerous canals and railways which intersect the country ; the ma jestic bridges executed in stone over the Thames ; in cast iron over the Avon, the Thames, &c.; those on the suspension princi ple at the Menai Strait, and across the Thames at Hammersmith and Hungerford Market ; and those on the tubular principle over the Menai and the Conway. Among the men to whose talents in this branch of engineering the nation is indebted, may be named Brindley, Smeaton, Jessop, Telford, the Ren nies, Walker, the Brunels, and the Ste phensons.
The course of education by which a student may qualify himself to become an engineer, whether civil or military, must necessarily comprehend a greater extent both of the pure and physical sciences than would he required for a person who is to follow any other pro fession. It will be, perhaps for ever, a matter of opinion how much mathematics should enter a school course of engineering ; and there are no doubt some persons who contend that no more is required than would serve to compute the cost of materials and the wages of labour ; this and the observation of existing examples being supposed sufficient to enable a man to enter upon the practice of the pro fession. It is not, however, with such know ledge only that an engineer is qualified to de. sign an important work which it may be re quired to conduct under new and difficult circumstances. On the other hand, mere dili gence in observing the results of practical operations will never raise a man to proficiency in art unless he is gifted with very extraordi nary powers. A judicious combination of
theory and practice is indispensable, and such a combination can only be made by a man in whom great natural talent is blended with all the aids that the sciences can afford.
Of the military engineer it may be said that a greater knowledge of the more minute de tails of construction is required than would suffice in the civil practitioner ; because it may happen that the former is called upon to exer. cise his profession in some colony where workmen adequately skilled in the mechanical operations may be wanting. The accomplish ment of the work may then become impossi ble, should the officer not be qualified to give the necessary instructions to those who are placed under his direction.
There is now near the metropolis a college for the education of young persons who are destined to act as civil engineers, where the science and practice of the profession are effectively taught ; while the military semi naries at Woolwich, Sandhurst, and Addis combc, afford corresponding advantages for those who have adopted the military service.
The Institution of Civil Engineers, formed at London in 1828, cannot fail, by the publi cation of its transactions, to be the means of greatly assisting such persons as may here after enter the profession ; and, through them, of rendering service to society itself. Even established practitioners may occasionally de rive benefit from the theoretical investigations and the practical details of construction which are the subjects of the papers read at the meetings of the members.
An Institute of Mechanical Engineers was established at Birmingham in 1847, for en couraging experiments and essays relating to engineering subjects. It is under the pre sidency of Mr. Robert Stephenson, and seems to be a sort of miniature Institute of Civil Engineers.