Ackermann, A: Society of Engineers, Established May 1854

Excerpt from Society of Engineers, Established May 1854: Transactions for 1907 and General Index, 1857 to 1907

Mr. Hunt, the Secretary of the American Society Of Civil Engineers, has been kind enough to give me some information as to the position of the civil engineer in America. There the condition materially differs from both the condition Obtaining in England, France, or Germany. The greater portion of the engineers practising are salaried men, probably employed by firms of contractors who contract both for the engineering and the construction. There is no legal qualification required either for private practice or to advise a town council, but Mr. Hunt sums up the position in very few words by saying if he is not a good man he will not last long, but even in a short time one or two towns may be pledged right up to their borrowing powers for works which are failures, and there is no recognised scale Of remuneration. There is no doubt that in America there is a tendency to combine consulting work with contracting, of which Sir Alexander Kennedy, in his address to the Institution Of Civil Engineers, says, But now and then an attempt is made by honourable men, and in all honesty, to be contractors and consultants at the same time; every such attempt, SO far as I know, has ended in failure, and I am sure that the combination is to be deprecated. 'engineering' Of November 9, 1906, commenting on Sir Alexander Kennedy's address, said, It is, however, interesting to note that the plan objected to is appar ently losing favour in America where the number of consultants in active and profitable practice is steadily increasing.

Before proceeding to the consideration Of Specific points where the status Of engineers could be improved, I think it would be as well to glance at the constitution and action of the other learned or scientific professions. From the introduction to the Handbook of the Incorporated Law Society I gather the following facts: The Incorporated Law Society was preceded by the Inn of Court and the Society Of Gentlemen Practisers founded in 1739. The Incorporated Law Society was founded in 1825 and got its first Charter in 1831. When it was founded.

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