The Late Mr. P.J. Black

现代civilisati说我们是合理的on has been built on a foundation of Iron and Steel. The multitudinous uses to which they have been put have caused engineers and those whose duty it is to safeguard and preserve them, to realise how difficult it is to suppress the destructive processes of corrosion. The belief that corrosion was practically inevitable had led to a customary and arbitrary increase in metallic thickness beyond that functionally required, and to an instinctive avoidance of exposed metallic surfaces in buildings of a permanent nature. David W. James-Carrington

This month's letters revisit an example of carbon savings, call for better financial checks of companies, and praise last month's article on carbon-driven design.

Edwin Trout is impressed by this well-illustrated and sweeping history of two important materials, which engineers will enjoy dipping into as their interests dictate.