THE AMERICAN ENGINEER.
ENGINEERING may be defined as "the science and art
of utilizing the forces and materials of nature." It
was formerly classed in two main branches, civil and military.
Civil engineering included all engineering not directly in
volved in the science of war.
So rapid has been the progress of science that to-day
civil engineering is understood as the science of bridges,
railroads, tunnels, highways, canals, river and harbor im
provements, water supply and sanitation, with all their
involved details.
What was formerly civil is to-day divided into several
distinct parts, each a complete and sufficient study for a
man's whole life.
The numerous inventions in labor-saving machinery
have advanced to such a state that mechanical engineering
is a full and complete science in itself. The development of
electricity in later years has shown that it is to take a prom
inent part in all of our arts and sciences, and bidding fair to
revolutionize our present system of motive powers, demands
that a thorough research into some of the deepest of nature's
mysteries, guided by sound mathematical and scientific rea
soning.
Mining engineering, not so distinct in its character per
haps, requires nevertheless a separate course of .training.
American engineering differs very considerably from
European engineering. The problems which have present
ed themselves in the one country are different from those of
the other. The American engineer has been confronted by
broad, deep rivers and rugged mountains which he has had
to cross. The extremes of climate, labor scarce and high,
the transporting of raw-materials over long distances, and
what has still been a greater disadvantage to him having to