PERSONAL.

Westport Times, Volume X, Issue 1349, 28 January 1876, Page 3

PERSONAL.

{To the Editor of the West port Times.) S lß) —Would you kindly allow me throimh the medium of your columns, as an act of justice to myself, an explanation. It has fiome to my knowledge that, in the action M'Dowcll versus the General Government, my aspiring to the distinction of an hydraulic engineer has been characterised by certain individuals as an unwarrantable presumption. Now, Sir, 1 hate to parade my achievements, but iu order to silence those groundless and ungenerous remarks, I may state that in hyrodynamical science I have achieved a success that some, who would sneer at my pretensions, might be proud to claim. I am the inventor and patentee of the hydro-atmospheric engine. When [ introduced that invention into Victoria I received written testimony, from men of undoubted scientific attainments, acknowledging its merits; including the names of the Engineer-in-Chief of Victoria, also Mr Christie, the chief engineer of the Victorian Railway Department. Now the very title of my invention implies a combination and mechanical application of the principles of pneumatics and hydraulics.

I will therefore ask this simple question, that if any mauis capalileof combining, and applying to a useful mechanical purpose those scientific principles, whether it would not be first absolutely necessary that he should be, (not superficially), but thoroughly conversant with the f"ndamenJa]Jaw^ ttt Hja.^Qr^D. hydraulics, before he could effect such a purpose ?

I take it for granted that an hydraulic engineer is a man possessing an intimate knowledge, both theoretical and practical, of liydrodynamical science. Therefore, as I have been etigaged for a number of years in studying and successfully applying that science to three useful mechanical inventions —two of which I need not name—l fail to see either the presumption or impropriety of assuming the title of tin hydraulic engineer. I am. Sic, Gicokgk Du.vn.