In view of the decision expressed at the last Annual Meeting of Ratepayers to take steps to register Architects and Civil Engineers in Shanghai, it is interesting to note from a paper recently contributed by M. J. J. Chollot to the [Shanghai Society of Architects, what are thi the French Legislature in such matters. little has been heart of it ear city of news cannot be taken prt of inaction on the part of the anit; for under Captain A. oJ. Stewart the work of the artillery is being carried on with enthusiasm. The members of the Battery received a very good grounding in the use of the new weapons daring the acta! training secon and although the results of target practice' were not all that could be desired, it ix hoped that some, if not all, of the disabilities will have been overcome by the time the next training season ends.
The primary cause of what appeared to be misjudgement of range. was we are given to understand, in comparison with the old guns, the difference in the muzzle velocity, which, acting upon the trajectory causes a variation in the "angle of the projectile's descent; dae allowance can only be made for this by experience in handling the new wes pons. The lateral deviation, was ver small considering that allowance has to te made for the wind and for the difference in the level of the wheels of the carriage (which naturally pro-should a building prove to be in the matter of construct the tect and contractor are held responsible for a period of ten years, but are relieved from their responsibility alter that. This ten-year period applies only to main structural work and not to detailed work and fittings. It is stated that an shitect or contractor mho erects building in a solid manner according to proper rules and regulations, cannot be held responsible through faults which occur through the nse of through economy on the part of poor materials, if the defects have arisen
the proprietor who does not spend sufficient money on the building. This rule would appear to be somewhat, unnecessary as, in the first place, an architect should be in a position to decline to undertake work for proprietor who intends to use bad materials, Responsibility for defects may be laid either on the architect or C. Gazette 233 the contractor, or both; in the latter event they are severally responsible to the proprietor unless they agree to divide the responsibility between them according to the sum required to repair the damage. In the case of defective plans the architect is held solely responsible, but for bad work-warship, the use of inferior materials, or prietor may be of the bl for having remained passive.
There are no doubt many intricacies which would render it difficult to place blame on the proper shoulders and these seopar'se be very thoroughly provided M. Chollot closes by expressing the opinion that architects in Shanghai cannot assume the same res-possibilities as in Europe for four 1.—Inferior materials.
2.—Defective workmanship duo to ignorance and carelessness of the labourers and artisans, 3.—The generally characteristic cheap, method of construction.
4.—That the Chinese contractors have not up to the present realized, nor been made to realize the responsibility hich attaches to them.
We will not go so far as to say that sach rigorous and detailed procedure ax that in vogue in France should be adopted in Shanghai, bat it appears be exercised and we are glad to note that the proposal meets with the approval of those most concerned, viz.
acts and engineers themselves,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.