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, who appreciates the grim humor of strong, self-tutored men, the spice was, no doubt, intended. From the beginning of civilization men had houses built by builders who came to form a distinct order and were known after a while as architects. These men wrought for the comfort and convenience of mankind. Engineers, however, were military men whose structures were for warlike purposes. Their bridges were not erected for peaceful use and as an embellishment of the landscape were never looked on with favor. Only architects built beautiful bridges, following the plans of the engineers, whose bridges were erected so that armies might attack a province or defend a city. For many centuries engineers were employed to plan campaigns and lay out works to defend or to attack forts and cities. Many great soldiers in the past preferred the title of "Engineer" to that of "General."

Military engineers showed their ingenuity in the invention of engines and implements of war and the use of every means at hand to kill men and destroy the works of their hands. In times of peace, or when the engineer corps of an army was quartered in cities, the engineers were employed to construct water works and drainage works for large districts. This was not done primarily for the purpose of making conditions tolerable for the inhabitants, but to provide water and guard health during a possible siege, for sieges in those old days sometimes lasted for years. The engineer, the