. An American engineer in China . n origin, and is consideredto be one of the evidences of their advance overother nations. It was not known to, or at leastnever used by, the Greeks; and although the shapeappears in certain specimens of Hindoo architect-ure, it is of false variety—that is, a succession ofprotruding corbels. In China, on the other hand,we find it of most widespread and general appli-cation, and examination shows that the principlesinvolved are thoroughly understood, as the archesare composed of a complete ring of voussoirs, ra-dially jointed and of proper proportions, makingit
. An American engineer in China . n origin, and is consideredto be one of the evidences of their advance overother nations. It was not known to, or at leastnever used by, the Greeks; and although the shapeappears in certain specimens of Hindoo architect-ure, it is of false variety—that is, a succession ofprotruding corbels. In China, on the other hand,we find it of most widespread and general appli-cation, and examination shows that the principlesinvolved are thoroughly understood, as the archesare composed of a complete ring of voussoirs, ra-dially jointed and of proper proportions, makingit therefore a true arch and establishing beyondquestion the Chinamans complete understandingof the scientific principles on which it rests. On the other hand, the general use of the designin all parts of the country and the undoubted an-tiquity of so many of the existing examples clearlydemonstrate that it long antedates any possibleforeign suggestions, and go a long way to estab-lish it as of Chinese origin, which, however, like. amaI 3 X 111 5 >< Chapter VII: Chinese Construction 201 printing and gunpowder and so many other in-ventions and discoveries, never passed beyondthe national borders. The largest application of the arch principle isin the building of bridges, where spans of thirtyto forty feet are common, and single spans offifty feet were seen. Longer spans than these,though perhaps existing, are not usually required,as those streams which can be bridged do not, asa rule, call for single openings larger than willsuffice to pass small boats. The arches are usu-ally of the full half-circle, with the spring abovethe ordinary flow line. The arch joints are cutclose and filled with hard, firm mortar, while thespandrels are always built independently of thearch, and usually of inferior workmanship, in-dicating clearly that the designer understood thetheory. The piers frequently have V-shaped endsup stream, evidently to diminish scouring actionand to prevent drift tra
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectrailroa, bookyear1900
