papers on the physical and chemical properties of the materials of engineering will be presented at this meeting by recognized authorities, and certain features of the Standard Specifications for Steel Rails adopted by this Society will be taken up for further discussion. "The Executive Committee desires to extend a cordial invitation to the members of the Committee on Rails, and to any other members of the American Society of Civil Engineers, interested in these subjects, to attend this meeting and to participate freely in the discussions. Copies of the programme will be gladly furnished on application to the Secretary. 66 Very truly yours, "WASHINGTON, D. C., May 19th, 1902. "CHARLES WARREN HUNT, Esq., 66 Secretary, American Society of Civil Engineers, 66 "SIR,―The Capital Traction Company takes pleasure in extending to the members of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and their guests, in attendance upon the Annual Convention, held in this city during the four days, May 20th to 23d, inclusive, free transportation over the lines of its system, the only requirement being the wearing of the official badge of the Convention in full view while on the cars of the company. "Yours very truly, "G. T. DUNLOP, "President." “WASHINGTON, D. C., February 10th, 1902. "Mr. CHAS. WARREN HUNT, 66 Secretary, American Society of Civil Engineers, "DEAR SIR,-My attention has been called to the recent meeting in this city of the local membership of the American Society of Civil Engineers; also of the proposed convention of the Society to be held in Washington in May next, and it has been suggested by members of the Society connected with the Geological Survey that an opportunity should be offered to the visiting members during the convention to inspect the different branches of the Survey which may be of interest to civil engineers "The geologic work, as related to mining; the topographic survey, its methods and maps; the engraving on copper and printing from the stone of maps in colors; the hydrographic work, bearing upon the water resources of the country, and methods of stream measurement, are all features which will doubtless be of interest to members of the Society, and I take pleasure in offering such facilities of inspection as may seem to be best suited to the occasion, as may hereafter be determined upon by the Committee. "Yours, with respect, "CHAS. D. WOLCOTT, Letters (continued) "WASHINGTON, D. C., May 17th, 1902. "To the Secretary of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Washington, D. C. "SIR,-I take pleasure in sending to you herewith five hundred copies of the topographic map of Washington and vicinity for distribution to the members of your Society at your annual convention to be held in this city. "Very respectfully, "Mr. CHARLES WARREN HUNT, 66 "CHAS. D. WOLCOTT, "Director." "WASHINGTON, D. C., May 19th, 1902. Secretary, American Society of Civil Engineers. "DEAR SIR,-I beg to tender to members of your Society visiting Washington, as well as resident members, an invitation to visit the Capitol Building. Directions will be given to the various heads of departments, under my supervision, to extend to members every courtesy within their power. It will give me great pleasure to meet personally any who desire to call at this office. 66 Very truly yours, "ELLIOTT WOODS, “WASHINGTON, D. C., May 20th, 1902. The New Willard Hotel, “ MY DEAR SIR,―The Board of Managers of this Club wishes to extend the courtesies of the Club to the members of your Society during the time of the present meeting. "Yours very truly, "L. O. HOWARD, "Secretary." "COMMANDANT'S OFFICE, "UNITED STATES NAVY YARD, "WASHINGTON, D. C., May 19th, 1902. "DEAR MELVILLE.-Thanks for the invitation to be the guest of the Society of Civil Engineers this week. I find in the programme a visit to the Navy Yard, Wednesday afternoon, and for the entertainment of the visitors we have arranged to put a jacket on a 12-in. gun, about 2.30 that day. We had intended to do this to day, but postponed it to Wednesday that members of the Society might see it. BERNARD R. GREEN, M. Am. Soc. C. E.-I want to introduce a resolution, but prior to that I want to say that the Local Committee understands there may be warmer weather this week, and, therefore, a less suitable time is coming to put the jacket on that gun. (Laughter.) They need a great deal of heat, however, for that purpose. As a member of the Local Committee, I beg to offer the following resolution: "That the officers of the Corps of Engineers of the United States Invitations. Army-the local officers-the local officers of the Corps of Engineers of the United States Navy, the civil engineers of the city, not members of this Society, and the Washington Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, be invited to attend the meetings of this Convention." The resolution, being duly seconded, was carried unanimously. DAVID S. CARLL, M. Am. Soc. C. E.-The Secretary has read the letter of the President of the Traction Company. A number have asked what lines the Traction Company operates. They operate the cars running on Pennsylvania Avenue, out 14th Street, out 7th Street, and out to the Zoological Park. There is a map of the whole system in the rear of the hall. On that map the lines of the Traction Company are shown by heavy dotted lines. I wish further to call your attention to the excursion this afternoon to Cabin John Bridge. The programmes are wrong, and if you will look at the head of the list of members you will find that it says, "through the courtesy of the Washington Traction Company." It should be "the Washington Railway and Electric Company." It also says that the cars will be waiting in front of the Ebbitt House. Now, the cars can't wait, although it says that they can, because there is a three-minute service on the road, which they must maintain, but there will be plenty of cars there for all who want to go to Cabin John Bridge, through the courtesy of the Washington Railway and Electric Company. WILLIAM M. BLACK, M. Am. Soc C. E.-Ladies and gentlemen, there is something that may be an attraction for some of you which is not down on the programme. The Engineers' School and Battalion is stationed at Washington Barracks, and it says on the programme they will give you a pontoon bridge-building drill on Thursday morning. In addition to that, I wish to state that every evening of this week, except Thursday and Saturday, there will be a regular guard mounting, concert and parade, beginning at five o'clock. Guard mounting at five o'clock sharp, concert, and then dress parade at halfpast five every evening, and we would like to see you down there. Take Pennsylvania Avenue cars and change at Seventh Street. That takes you down to the Post. DAVID S. CARLL.-Free. Mr. BLACK. — Mr. Carll says free, but if you take the other line on F Street and then change at the corner of 9th and F Streets, that line will also take you down to the gates of the Post, going down 9th Street, and we would be very glad to see any of you. As I said, guard mounting is at five o'clock, band concert immediately after, and dress parade at half-past five. The Secretary desires me also to say that, the Convention being unexpectedly large and the excursion unex Invitations pectedly popular, we will have to make a slight change in the excur(continued). sion on Thursday, to this extent: Marshall Hall can only accommodate 500 persons, so that the tickets, which will include the dinner on Thursday, will be limited to 500, and those who haven't them may not get them, because there are only about 120 left. However, there will be, in addition to that, 200 tickets at 75 cents each, which will not include the dinner, but anyone getting a 75-cent ticket will be able to buy a small lunch on the boat. The boat is large enough; simply the accommodations at Marshall Hall for planked shad are limited. Business There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. BUSINESS MEETING. Wednesday, May 21st, 1902.—The meeting was called to order at Convened. 10.30 A. M.; President Robert Moore in the Chair; Chas. Warren Hunt, Secretary. THE PRESIDENT.-Gentlemen, this being the Annual Business Meeting, a very important meeting in the affairs of the Society, we will Report of proceed to business. The first thing on the programme is a report of Committee on the Committee, appointed at the Niagara Convention, on the desiraRegulating Practice of bility of action being taken for the protection of engineers and the Engineering. public from incompetent practitioners. The Secretary read the report as follows: REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON REGULATING THE TO THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS: The Committee authorized by the last Annual Convention, and appointed by the President, to consider and report upon the advisability and practicability of regulating the practice of Engineering, with the object of excluding incompetent persons from practice, begs leave to present the following report: In the prosecution of its work the Committee made an effort to collect information relating to what has already been done, or attempted, to regulate the practice of the profession in this and other countries, and also to learn, as far as practicable, what has been done by other professions and by some trades toward regulating their practice, and a brief synopsis may be of interest. So far as the Committee is advised, there exist no laws in the United States regulating or limiting the practice of Engineering in any of its branches, with the exception of the Architects' law mentioned later. Efforts have been made in a few States to secure the enactment of such laws, but without success. In Canada the subject has been agitated for a number of years, with the result that acts relating to Civil Engineers have been passed in the Provinces of Quebec and Manitoba. These acts are quite similar in their essential requirements. The Quebec law, which was approved January 15th, 1898, after reciting in the preamble the fact of the incorporation of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers, and declaring that it is desirable to establish the qualifications necessary to authorize persons to practice as Civil Engineers in the Province, enacts that, after January 1st, 1899, no person shall be entitled to use the title of Civil Engineer or to practice the profession unless he shall be, or shall become, a member of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers. It defines the qualifications necessary for admission to the Society, and the conditions of membership. A board of examiners is constituted, consisting of six persons, four of whom shall be named by the Council of the Society, and one each by McGill University and Laval University. This Board shall meet at least twice each year to examine candidates who may apply for admission to the Society either as students or as corporate members. Those admitted as students may be, after passing a later prescribed examination, admitted as corporate members. In either case the applicant must pay in advance of the examination the entrance fees to the Society. Persons who pass the advanced examination receive a diploma, and become, without further action on the part of the Society, corporate members. The act prescribes that no by-law that may be adopted by the Society shall have force or effect until approved by the Lieutenant Governor of the Province. The practical effect of the law is to make corporate membership in the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers the condition upon which the profession may be practiced in the Province. Exception is made in the case of persons authorized to practice by previous legislation. Persons not thus authorized to practice cannot recover before any court or justice any sum of money for civil engineering services, and they are liable to a fine not exceeding $25 for assuming or using the title of Civil Engineer or of membership in the Society. The Manitoba Act, approved March 19th, 1899, after referring more in detail to the organization and management of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers, closes with a section (17), as follows: "On and after the 1st day of July, 1896, no person shall be entitled within this Province to take or use the name and title of Civil Engineer' or any abbreviation thereof, either alone or in combination with any other word or words, or any name, title or description implying that he is a member of the said Society of Civil Engineers, or act as Engineer in laying out, advising on, constructing or superintending the construction of any railway or public work, or any work upon which public money is expended, the cost of which shall exceed $500, unless such person is a member of the Society hereby incorporated and registered as such under the provisions of this Act, or unless he is a duly qualified Civil Engineer, and entitled to use the title of Civil |