IV

PUBLISHERS’ PREFACE.

throughout the book; and a copious Index has been added, by whichready reference can be made to the multifarious details in its pages.

In a Work dealing mainly with actual practice, it was notthought desirable to introduce any of the untried inventions orimprovements which are often brought under the eye of the Profes-sional engineer; and notice has therefore been taken only of suchrecent appliances as have been proved by actual work to be ofpermanent value. Among these may be mentioned, rivetting byhydraulic machinery, the mänufacture of mild Steel for boilers andships’ plates, the continuous automatic brake on railways, doublebottoms and water-ballast tanks in shipbuilding, gas and hot-airengines, and the compound arrangement of cylinder for the loco-motive.

Much care has been bestowed on the preparation of the engrav-ings placed in the text, as well as on the separate series ofengraved plates. These illustrations were feit to be an importantpart of the book, elucidating as they do the text, and in manycases conveying through the eye the information which it is difficultto convey by words.

The Work now completed is the outcome of many years of prac-tical experience by the author Mr. John G. Winton. The super-intendence through the press has been carried out by Mr. W. J.Miliar, C.E., who has also contributed to the descriptive and theo-retical treatment of parts of the Work. Thanks are due to thegentlemen who, by their pen or the use of valuable drawings, kindlycontributed details of the most recent practice; to the Transactionsof various Engineering Societies; and also to our ably conductedProfessional journals, especially The Engineer and Engineering, forthe information frequently derived from their pages.

Glasgow, Febrttary, 1883.