The Institute Aboard An Unofficial Sketch

It is impracticable to prepare for the present number of the Bi-Monthly Bulletin a detailed account of the memorable Joint Meeting of the Iron and Steel Institute and our Institute, held in London, the last week in July, and of the, innumerable festivities, entertainments and excursions which accompanied and followed it, in England, Scotland, Wales and Germany. This preliminary sketch, from which all " useful particulars "' have been carefully omitted, is published unofficially, as a convenient answer to the manifold inquiries of members who did not go, and who are now trying to alleviate their unavailing regret by indulging their curiosity. Perhaps they secretly hope to hear that they did not lose so very much, after all-that the affair was not all that could have been desired or dreamed; that there were serious drawbacks, shortcomings and disappointments; and that it is just as well to have stayed it home, and now to hear about it. Let them lay no such flattering unction to their souls. The month they have missed would have been the time of their lives. They will never, never know how good a time it was, or adequately repent of their folly, if they could have gone with us, and voluntarily did not go of course, those who would but could not, have our immeasurable pity, without blame. I shall present here no consecutive and minute story, but only a series of general paragraphs concerning different aspects and stages of our experience. THE WEATHER. The proverbial good fortune of the Institute attended its visiting members and guests at every stage of the late London meeting and the numerous excursions which accompanied or followed it. Even the process of crossing the Atlantic was made delightful by smooth seas, through which the great modern transatlantic liners made their way without disagreeable