r, that men of high standing, who derided reinforced
concrete only a few years ago, now pose as reinforced concrete experts,
and probably the author has the mistakes of these men in mind.

The questions which he propounds were settled long ago by a great many
tests, made in various countries, by reliable authorities, although the
theoretical side is not as easily answered; but it must be borne in mind
that the stresses involved are mostly secondary, and, even in steel
construction, these are difficult of solution. The stresses in the web
of a deep steel girder are not known, and the web is strengthened by a
liberal number of stiffening angles, which no expert can figure out to a
nicety. The ultimate strength of built-up steel columns is not known,
frequently not even within 30%; still less is known of the strength of
columns consisting of thin steel casings, or of the types used in the
Quebec Bridge. It seems to be impossible to solve the problem
theoretically for the simplest case, but had the designer of that bridge
known of the tests made by Hodgkinson more than 40 years ago, that
accident probably would not have happened.

Practice is always ahead of theory, and the writer claims that, with the
great number of thoroughly reliable tests made in the last 20 years, the
man who is really informed on this subject will not see any reason for
questioning the points brought out by Mr. Godfrey.

The author is right in condemning sharp bends in reinforcing rods.
Experienced men would not think of using them, if only for the reason
that such sharp bends are very expensive, and that there is great
likelihood of breaking the rods, or at least weakening them. Such sharp
bends invite cracks.

Neither is there any question in regard to the advantage of continuing
the bent-up rods over the supports. The author is manifestly wrong in
stating that the reinforcing rods can only receive their increments of
stress when the concrete is in tension. Generally, the contrary happens.
In the ordinary adhesion test, the block of concrete is held by the jaws
of the machine and the rod is pulled out; the concrete is clearly in
compression.

The underside of continuous beams is in compression near the supports,
yet no one will say that steel rods cannot take any stress there. It is
quite surprising to learn that there are engineers who still doubt the
advisability of using bent-up bars in reinforced concrete beams.
Disregarding the very thoro