spectors, for such egregious blunders should never escape their observation. But they are by no means entirely to blame for the fact that the inspection of structural steel in general is not what it ought to be; because back of them are the railroad managers and promoters of large enterprises, who do not recognize the necessity for first-class inspection, and who are often not willing to pay one half of what such inspection is worth. Here again, though, the inspectors are to blame, for the reason that in the keenness of their competition for work they have cut prices to such an extent as to make it impossible to do proper inspection without losing money. When pinned down to facts they have to confess this. The coolness of some of the "small-fry" inspectors is often amusing. The author was once hauled over the coals by one of this class who had put in a low bid for some inspection, and whose tender had been rejected because of the low figure, the work having been awarded to one of the regular inspecting bureaus at about fifty per cent more than the unsuccessful bidder asked. After expressing his mind pretty freely, he fired this parting shot "Well, I never intended to do thorough inspection for you, anyhow."

The inspection business has been utterly demoralized in times past by just such action as that contemplated by this inspector; for it was the general custom, and is yet to a certain extent with some inspectors, to take contracts for inspection at whatever figures the purchasers are willing to pay, then handle the work so as not to lose money on the contract, regardless, of course, of the interests of their employers.

Strange tales concerning inspection come to the ears of engineers—such, for instance, as passing car-load after car-load of metal-work that was not seen by the inspector until after loading for shipment; but such tales need verification, which, of course, it is nobody's business to give them. There is no doubt, though, of some of them being authentic. In one case in the author's experience the inspector left his work for ten days in charge of one of the bridge-company's shipping-clerks, without   notifying   either  the   author   or   his  direct  employers,   the   inspection   bureau,   of   his   contemplated   absence.    Such