discussion of the first point, seems to object
solely to the angle of the bent-up portion of the rod. This angle could
have been much less, without affecting the essence of the writer's
remarks. Of course, the resultant, _b_, would have been less, but this
would not create a queen-post at the sharp bend of the bar. Major Sewell
says that he "does not remember ever to have seen just the type of
construction shown in Fig. 1, either used or recommended." This type of
beam might be called a standard. It is almost the insignia of a
reinforced concrete expert. A little farther on Major Sewell says that
four beams tested at the University of Illinois were about as nearly
like Fig. 1 as anything he has ever seen in actual practice. He is the
only one who has yet accused the writer of inventing this beam.

If Major Sewell's statement that he has never seen the second point
exemplified simply means that he has never seen an example of the bar
bent up at the identical angle given in the paper, his criticism has not
much weight.

Major Sewell's comment on the retaining wall begs the question. Specific
references to examples have been given in which the rods of a
counterfort are not anchored into the slabs that they hold by tension,
save by a few inches of embedment; an analysis has also been cited in
which the counterfort is considered as a beam, and ties in the great
weight of the slab with a few "shear rods," ignoring the anchorage of
either horizontal, vertical, or diagonal rods. It is not enough that
books state that rods in tension need anchorage. They should not show
examples of rods that are in pure tension and state that they are merely
thrown in for shear. Transverse rods from the stem to the flange of a
T-beam, tie the whole together; they prevent cracking, and thereby allow
the shearing strength of the concrete to act. It is not necessary to
count the rods in shear.

Major Sewell's comparison of a stirrup system and a riveted truss is not
logical. The verticals and diagonals of a riveted truss have gusset
plates which connect symmetrically with the top chord. One line of
rivets or a pin in the center line of the top chord could be used as a
connection, and this connection would be complete. To distribute rivets
above and below the center line of the top chord does not alter the
essential fact that the connection of the web members is complete at the
center of the top chord. The case of stirrups is quite different. Abov