It is evident in all Fasley's experiments that he was
deairoos of obtaining reliable results of an unvarying
character, and his disappointments were many, owing
doubtless to the want of chemical knowledge or its careful
application. The task he undertook was to build up from
English materials a water cemeot bo as to equal that of
Smeaton's Eddystone in quality, fie all but succeeded
in doing so, and probably if the duties of his position had
permitted him to devote more personal attention to the
experiments, the resnlt would have been more satisfactory ;
bnt they were spread over too long a period, and were some-
what spasmodic in character. Smeatou, on the other hand,
having an immediate and important object In view, ceased
not in his endeavours until he had removed from his mind
aU doubts on the subject of water cements and their qualities.
It is true he was assisted iu his researches by the fortuitous
circumstance of the Italian puzzolana, but it was only his
euei^ and perseverance that obtained from this lucky
chance the most advantageous results. The Aberthaw lime
in itself could have accomplished all he desired, for he had
unlocked the mystery of hydranlicity, and felt confident in
the knowledge of its cause. While the military engineer
only piled np innumerable disconnected and comparatively
useless experiments (from a practical point of view), the civil
engineer concentrated his energies and carried his results to
a successful end : the one under Government auspices, and
the other directed by private enterprise for the accomplish-



ed tyGoOglc



22 SOIENCB iXD ABT OF POBTLAMD OSHEKT.
