Abstract
NEARLY a century ago, Dr. Samuel Smiles realized the fundamental importance to civilization of the work of the engineer and correctly estimated the interest it must have for the public. In explaining his books he wrote, “Our engineers may be regarded in some measure as the makers of modern civilisation”, and he records that in a letter to him Cobden wrote, “it cannot be doubted that each succeeding generation will hold in higher estimation those discoveries in physical science to which mankind must attribute henceforth so largely its progress and improvement”. These views are brought to mind by the announcement made as to its aims by the Engineering Public Relations Committee, which has recently been formed on the initiative of the Institution of Civil Engineers acting in conjunction with the leading engineering organizations in London, with Sir Clement Hindley as its first chairman. Its function is to present to the public, in suitable form, information concerning the science and practice of engineering and its service to civilization. Through the ordinary channels of information, prominence is given to the spectacular side of such undertakings as the building of the Queen Mary, the construction of the Mersey Tunnel and that of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, to mention only three great works of the last few years, but this treatment tends to obscure from public view the knowledge of the ceaseless efforts being put forth to understand more fully the works of Nature and so to harness them to the service of mankind. It is only thus that such vast undertakings can be attempted with prospect of success.
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The Services of Engineering to Mankind. Nature 141, 110 (1938). https://doi.org/10.1038/141110b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/141110b0