146 The Model Engineer and Practical Electrician. February 13, 1930.
tion after it is finished, Mr. Barton Chapple will be pleased to explain them away.I am sure that those who build it will get a great deal of pleasure out of it, and I am equally sure that many wireless friends, when they see and hear the finished set, will want to know how, it was done, and will want to build one like it. A 66 "
68 "C SHEFFIELD reader, "G. M. F.," " writes me, taking strong exception to the phrase Sheffield junk merchants which has sometimes appeared in our Shops, Shed and Road columns, in reference to the supplies of some model locomotive parts which some years ago were made in that city. My correspondent says, We in Sheffield are jealous of our reputation, which is second to none, and the fact that a wrong impression may be created in the minds of others renders it necessary to take notice of the remarks which have occasioned this letter." I do not suppose for a moment that any wrong impression has been created by the phrase referred to, but I willingly pub- lish my correspondent's protest. The name of Sheffield is synonymous the world over with all that is best in steel, in edge tools, and in silver plate, and if unfortunately at one time some disappointing model locomo- tive products emanated from that great centre of industry, I do not think the repu- tation of the city generally has suffered in the least degree. One often hears the expres- sion Brummagem applied to imitation 37 or spurious wares which are supposed to be produced within the confines of Birmingham. But Birmingham goes on uncaring, resting assured that the quality of the work pro- duced by the many high-class firms in the metal and hardware trades in that famous Midland district will be the real criterion of her place in the industrial world. And so with Sheffield; all the world knows a Sheffield blade, and accepts "Sheffield made " as a hall-mark of undisputed quality. 66
MR. J. H. MCDOWELL, of Kinver, near Stourbridge, sends me an interesting letter agreeing with my comments on the address recently broadcast by Sir Alfred Yarrow, and referring to his own student days at the Finsbury Technical College, where he first heard Sir Alfred speak. Mr. McDowell goes on to mention Professor John Perry. He says: I can remember John Perry as he stood in Room 21 and told us that engineers were men who did things which other people said were impossible. were a bit worrying, he would say, Some of you will be cab-drivers, and some will be at the top of their profession. A cab-driver seemed to be the depth of degradation for an engineer, and now it is a skilled job. Tempus fugit." Although was at Finsbury 1 $ If we some years earlier than Mr. McDowell. I also sat at the feet of John Perry and drew instruction and inspiration from his delightful lectures. I do not know anybody who did more to simplify the teaching of the basic principles of mechanics than Professor Perry. He designed all kinds of very simple laboratory equipment with cords and pulleys and weights, which demonstrated to us the parallelogram of forces and other problems. in mechanics in a most entertaining way. Laboratory work was almost a play-time; grown-up students playing with mechanical toys, all the time learning something and proving something in a way which was never forgotten. I remember, too, hearing the pronouncement about cab-drivers on more than one occasion. It was Perry's most withering rebuke to students who were in- attentive or dilatory in their work. I wonder how often it came true; I do know, how- ever, that some of his students, many of them, in fact, have risen to very responsible posts indeed in the engineering world. What a pity Finsbury Technical College has gone under. It has set its stamp of quality on many a leader in engineering, electrical and chemical science.
THE results of our 1929 Speed Boat Com- petition are somewhat disappointing, but this is probably due to the uncertainty which for some time overshadowed the revised con- ditions of the contest, and also to the lateness. with which those conditions were published. For this we must accept the blame, although we, like some of the other interested parties, perhaps felt the need of a period of interregnum during which stock of the posi- tion could be taken. Only one silver medal has been earned, and this has been gained by Messrs. A. & J. Skingley, of the Victoria Model Steamboat Club, for the performance of their boat Cissie IV, Class B, Section 11. This boat has a displacement of 113 lbs., is engined with a single-cylinder two-stroke petrol motor 1-in. by 1-in. bore and stroke, and attained a certified speed of 21.75 miles per hour on the circular course. Although well below record, this is really quite a good achievement under the new conditions. A Certificate of Performance is awarded to Mr. Edward A. Walker, of the South London Experimental and Power Boat Club, for 9.3 miles per hour on the circular course, with his boat Nipalong, displace- ment 11 lbs. g ozs. This craft has a single- cylinder four-stroke motor, 1-in. by 1-in. bore and stroke. We hope to publish illus- trated particulars of these boats in an early issue. PerewaldMarshall
