Conclave

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or two before, Thomas A. Edison, in an interview in Collier's Weekly, had declared that the next great invention would be a practical helicopter. Prof. Klemin explained the requirements of a successful helicopter and foresaw its future development, not as a rival to the airplane but as a supplement adapted to special purposes such as rising and descending vertically and hovering over one spot.

Henry Zoelly, a Swiss engineer, declared that the steam locomotive is lag ging "pitifully" in scientific progress and foresaw the development of a turbo- locomotive.

Colonel Tracy C. Dickson of the Ordnance Department of the U. S. Army told of the development of a 280,000-volt X-ray apparatus to take pictures through three inches of steel. The use of the apparatus is to detect flaws in castings, thus preventing gun explosions.

Dr. William LeRoy Emmet of the General Electric Co. told of the development of the mercury vapor turbine, explaining that he believed it would prove 40% more efficient than the steam turbine.

The principal speaker at the annual dinner of the Society was Dr. Livingston Farrand, President of Cornell University, who deplored the loose thinking which characterizes the American people.

All the addresses, with few exceptions, were extremely technical, which was what the engineers desired and understood. They also understood the less technical language of Dwight F. Davis.