MELVILLE

MELVILLE 10.01. 1841 New York NY/USA 17.03. 1912 Philadelphia PA/USA After graduation from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute George Wallace Melville entered the US Navy in 1861, becoming officer of the Engineering Corps. He finished the Civil War in Virginia, working with torpedo boats. After war he served as first assistant engineer on several ships. He undertook in 1879 an Arctic expedition, trying to find a quick way to the North Pole via Bering Strait, which failed, however. He was awarded the 1884 Congressional Gold Medal. Melville was appointed by the US President in 1887 chief of the Bureau of Steam Engineering. In the rank of Commodore he was during 15 years responsible for the Navy’s propulsion system during an era of force expansion, technological progress, and institutional change. He superintended the design of 120 ships of the ‘New Navy’. Among the major technical innovations were the water-tube boiler, the triple screw propulsion system, vertical engines, floating repair ships, and a distilling ship. He was promoted in 1899 to rear admiral, and in 1900 engineer-in-chief. He reformed the service, putting Navy engineers on a professional footing. The Annapolis Laboratory was his brainchild, inaugurated in 1903 as Engineering Experiment Station EES. He thought that EES would increase the efficiency of the Navy. As other laboratories, he wanted to test improvement before installation in prototype ships; in addition the laboratory was a suitable installation for training of young marine engineers, so that it was located close to the Naval Academy, Annapolis MD. The US Navy has named two ships in honour of Melville, namely Destroyer Melville from 1915 to 1948, and in 1964 the oceanographic research ship Melville. The Navy’s Melville Award recognizes outstanding engineering contributions in naval engineering, whereas the Melville Medal is awarded by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers ASME to honour the best paper from its Transactions. Anonymous (1980). Melville, George W. Mechanical engineers in America born prior to 1861: 226-227. ASME: New York. P Hirschfeld, F. (1980). George W. Melville. Mechanical Engineering 102(7): 24-27. P Melville, G.W. (1884). In the Lena Delta: Narrative of the search for Lieut.-Commander DeLong and his companions, followed by proposed method of reaching the North Pole. Boston. Melville, G.W. (1898). Views of Commodore G.W. Melville, chief engineer of the Navy, as to the strategic and commercial value of Nicaraguan Canal, the future control of Pacific Ocean, the strategic value of Hawaii, and its annexation to the United States. Washington DC. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Melville P

MENOCAL 01.09. 1836 Havana/CU 20.07. 1908 New York NY/USA Aniceto Garcia Menocal was schooled at Havana, graduating in 1862. He was then assistant engineer for the Vento water works, supplying Havana with drinking water until 1865, and until 1869 chief engineer involved in the construction of similar schemes. He moved in 1870 to the USA where he was connected until 1872 with the Department of Public Works, New York NY. He was then until 1874 chief of a survey for the Nicaragua route of the proposed interoceanic canal. As chief engineer of this commission he proposed the construction of a lock canal in Nicaragua, based on various surveys, including the navigation of the Rio San Juan, a canal between Lakes Managua and Nicaragua, the so-called Tipitapa Route. He was in 1879 a delegate to the international conference under the auspices of the Geological Society of Paris for considering the proposals for a canal across the Isthmus, thereby made Chevalier of Légion d’Honneur, and becoming member of the Provisional Interoceanic Canal Society. Menocal obtained from Nicaragua a concession for the construction of a canal in 1880. As chief engineer of the Maritime Canal Company of Nicaragua, plans allowed to lapse in 1884. He was charged by the Navy Department with surveying the Nicaragua route but in 1886 was engaged in the study of progress being made on Panama Canal. Despite these works were then under progress under French leadership, mainly by Ferdinand de Lesseps (1805-1894), Menocal obtained a new concession by Nicaragua State so that he began with the preliminary works in 1887. He proceeded with works for the Nicaraguan Canal until 1890, yet failed in efforts to induce the US Government to control assets, as also to obtain funds from Europe. He finally retired from the Navy but was ordered to Havana after the Spanish-American War to take over the Spanish naval properties. FitzSimons, N. (1972). Menocal, Aniceto G. Biographical dictionary of American civil engineers: 90. ASCE: New York. Menocal, A.G. (1879). Inter-oceanic canal projects. ASCE: New York. Menocal, A.G. (1886). Report of the US Nicaragua surveying party. Government Printing: Washington DC. Menocal, A.G. (1890). Nicaragua Canal: Its design, final location and works accomplished. Damrell & Upham: New York. Menocal, A.G. (1906). The Panama Canal. Trans. ASCE 56: 197-218. https://www.rpi.edu/magazine/fall2006/features/feature3-pg2.html P