PREFACE THE present Index to Transactions is the fifth which has been published since the appearance of the first thin volume of 1880 marked the beginning of the published literature of the Society. In Volumes 5, 10, and 15 were included indexes to papers appearing up to the time of publication, and in Volume 27 there is a general index to the first twenty-five volumes. Since then, and until the appearance of the present index, each volume has contained the usual index to its contents; but for twenty years no general index has been attempted. In preparing the present index, the intention has been to cover as thoroughly as practicable the material hidden sometimes in irrelevant discussions and sometimes in the papers themselves, which, on account of its different subject-matter, would escape the attention of the searchers in an index devoted primarily to the major subjects of formal papers. The items have also been very fully cross-referenced for the assistance of users. of the index. It was felt that in view of the fact that but comparatively few complete editions of Transactions are in the hands of individuals who would use the index, and that the material in the earlier volumes is quite completely indexed in Volume 27, the present index should apply more particularly to Volumes 26 to 45, inclusive. It will be found, therefore, that the present index contains only a sufficient number of references to the first twenty-five volumes to locate the papers and their authors. No references to the discussers of these early papers are given, although such references are included in the general index of Volume 27. Another difference in the present index lies in its arrangement. The general style of The Engineering Index has been followed, grouping alphabetically all items under authors' names and subjects, except memorial notices of deceased members, in the main section. No separate listing of authors or of papers in chronological order is attempted. References to purely Society affairs, such as accounts of meetings and addresses which do not deal with technical subjects, have been omitted. The index to memorial notices will be found on pages 209-222. In spite of the care exercised to make the index complete, it will doubtless fail now and then to locate some reference which its columns are known to contain, as it is impossible to imagine every connection with which such a reference might be associated in the minds of users of the index. This index should greatly increase the value of Transactions, bringing to light as it does a great store of hitherto unindexed material and details |