ordinary meeting of the Society on Tuesday ovening a very interesting paper on "Gasoline Motors" was read by Mr. F. Mann, The President, Mr. Thomas Bunt, was in the chair.
The first part of the paper was of a technical character and will be read with interest when it appears in the next volume of the Society's Proceedings. A great deal of matter of local interest may however be found in the latter portion of the paper where Mr. Mann said that the gasoline engine was a lable and economical motor even with gasoline at Tls. 7.00 per drum of ton gallons. It is simple in construction, very easy to handle, needs very little attention, snd as' far as the author's experience goes, it is durable. He has an engine that has been in use ever twelve months and done a groat deal of work; it has had nothing done to it in the way of repairs, not ey the crank-bearing tightened, and it as good running order now as when he firet started it; there is another of the make in Shanghai that has been running twenty months, and that has needed nothing whatever doing to it so far.
The author's first long journey in a motor-boat was to Soochow. The motor was a4} H.P., and the boat was 21 feet long, 5 feot beam, and 1 foot 6 inches draft; this was not an ideal boat for motor, as at full speed it squi ted aft to such an extent that the water came over the stern. The journey to Soochow Custom House took eleven hours and twenty minutes, leaving the Stone Bridge, Sinza, with the tide. The gasoline used for the journey to Soochow and back, was 11} imperial gallons; some running about was done at Soochow, in all about ten miles to be added to the journey proper, or a total of 186 miles.
In the month of December last, the author wont in his motor houseboat for three weeks' shooting and exploring trip. The boat is 44 foot long over-all, 36 feet long on the water-line, 9 feet beam, 1 foot 4 inches draft, run with two 44 H. P. motors, with screws working in two tunnels; she was rather deeply. loaded with stores, coal for cooking purposes, and 70 gallons of gasoline, with a crow of three coolies, cook and boy. They had in tow a small launch, 25 feot long and 6 feot beam, containing a 6 LIP. double-cylinder' motor; in this launch was carried some of the coal, two dogs, and distilled water for drinking purposes.
The train was taken to Soochow, and from there the party motored, first to Wusich, beyond Wusieh left the Grand Canal by the A-jow Creek, and kept on in the direction of the Yangtze until Kiangyin was reached, intending to keep in the creek bordering the Yangtze until Tangyang, but they were unable to do so as there was not sufficient water, so they had to go back to the Grand Can!, which was entered again just below Chaugchow, proceeding along the Grand Canal to the Pennu Creek, which was followed up the Yangtze, where they were again stopped by lack of water in the cross creeks; returned to Pennu and went down the Canal to Sinza, entered the creek on the right side of Canal, crossed the top end of the Yahhu Lake, and on. to Kintang'and Mosan Creek. At Mosan no shooting worth having; returned skirting the Chongdongwoo to Pejow, down the Pejow Creek, to Haitzu and Chocksijow, and from there to Nadu; from Nadu made a trip in the small launch to Leoyang for letters and newspapers. They then went to the jamers, where they remained three days, and then returned via Leeyang, Neshing, Lazar, and Wusieh to Soochow, where the train for Shanghai was joined.
The party was away 21 days, and motored a distance of over 500 miles using 44} gallons of gasoline for houseboat and launch. On his return the author took lout the piston from one of the motors, and found no sign of wear of any description, and not a particle of char or di The houseboat, having two tunu not steer well, seeming not to have sufficient rudder-power; she has had the rudder lengthened, but atill she does not star so well as might be desired. With one motor working 18 li per hour was covered and with the two motors at work During the Chinese New Year holidays the author made another trip, this time to Hangchow, Changyi, Hazee, and the creeks aro: ind Kashing. This time, having a larger rudder. the boat went much better, in fact so n: xc'r better, that we did the distance from Minghong to the Garden Bridge (on our return) in two hours and a-quarter, this was on the 23rd of February, with a small tide and against the wind. On this journey a distance of about 200 miles was covered.
During his experience with gasoline motors, the author would say that he has never been " stuck up" with them so far, and he does not soo any reason why it should ever happen, although he assured by men who have had motorboats here before him that this would be the case, and that he would-be very glad to be rid of them in a little time; all he can now say is, he would not like to be without a motor-boat again. One can get into one's boat without any previous preparation, and be off in less than five minute: run down to Shanghai, or to the Hills from Saturday to Monday, and be sure of getting back in time for business on Monday morning.
For an outing, in Shanghai, there is nothing to compare with it; one can run down to the Garden on hot summer evenings, and listen to the band, or ran down to Woosung and get a blow. When the spring and autumn snipe arrive the author can leave his place, and in an hour be amongst them, have an hour or two's shooting and return. He has on several occasions left his house on Sunday morning in the early shooting season, run! to Kading or Four Waters, had three or four hours' shooting and come back in time for dinner, and all at a very trifling expense.
'A discussion followed in which Mesers. Kenneth Watson, J. R. Harding, H. J. Hamilton-Smythe, N. E. Cornish, and A. E. Jones took part.
Mr. Mann having replied, and a vote of thanks having been unanimously passed. to the author. Mz. J. R. Harding said that he had been asked to say a few words before the meeting closed ona subject which the members would hear jof with the greatest regret. He was sorry to say that their esteemed President was about to leave them and he wished to propose a hearty vote of thanks to him for the excellent way in which he had served the Society since it was started, as one of the original Vice-
Presidents and finally as President. They all regretted for their own sakes that he was unable to complete the term of his Presidency which he commenced with that excellent address which none of them were likely to forget.
Mr. Bunt, he ventured to say was one of those exiles in this distant land who had made the name of "foreigner" respected by the native and whose sterling worth and honesty of purpose had dono much to strengthen the appreciation by the Chinese authorities of foreign employes. Honesty and steadfastness of purpose, really earnest work in whatever line undertaken, were, he thought the for best asset in Asiatic lands. Diplomacy failed, lying was found out, unfaithful fulfilment of contracts resulted in loss of orders, but honesty and. straightforwardness must ever bring their own reward. Their President had done a great work at the Arsenal for the Chinese and had set all Europeans in the East an ple what thoroughness could accomplish. Mr. Bunt originally came to Shanghai as Marine Superintendent at the Arsenal but since then his duties had grown and were now of a varied character. That he made a point of acquiring " thorough knowledge of his subjects had been shown by the splendid work he had done for that fine establishment and by the excellent paper on Steel which he wrote for the Society, a paper of such merit that the lending engineering journal in England was only two glad to' publish it in extense.
There was one lesson that their President had always endeavoured to imprese upon the Society and one that all would do well to remember—that was the value of facts and especially of facts relating to local practice, and he hoped that the Society would endeavour to place on record a large collection of facts connected with engineering problems in the Far East.
He proposed a hearty vote of thanks to it. Bunt for all he had done for the Society and asked the members to joi im in expressing the regret. they felt at losing so good a President and wishing him all good luck and prosperity in his new venture and assuring him that his name would not be forgotten by the Society.
Mr. Harding else gave notice of hes intention to move at the next meeting of the Society: "That Messrs. G. J. Morrison and T. Bunt be elected Honorary Members of the Society."
Mr. Bunt briefly acknowledged the vote of thanks and assured the members of his appreciation of Mr. Harding's remarks
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.