A C T I V I T I E S O F D U T C H C I V I L E N G I N E E R S A B R O A D
B Y I R . H . C . F R I J L I N K
A S S I S T A N T M A N A G I N G D I R E C T O R O F T H E
N E T H E R L A N D S E N G I N E E R I N G C O N S U L T A N T S " N E D E C O " , T H E H A G U E
I N T R O D U C T I O N
C i v i l Engineers i n H o l l a n d must, i n the first plaee, cope w i t h the m a n i -f o l d hydraulic engineering problems presented by the particular condi-tions o f their l o w - l y i n g country, covering the delta area of a number o f m a j o r rivers. Coastal engineering (protection against the seas) and ag-r i c u l t u ag-r a l engineeag-ring (ag-reclamation and dag-rainage) weag-re among the fiag-rst activities of our ancestors, to w h i c h were soon added the solving o f the p r o b l e m of f o u n d a t i o n difficulties i n the soft subsoils. T h e n came the many problems concerning transportation i n a densely-populated delta-country, i n w h i c h several n a t u r a l traffic arteries pass and cross: rivers, ports and harbours, b u t also canals, roads, railways and bridges have to be i m p r o v e d , constructed, extended and maintained. M o r e recently air-ports have been added to the programme o f " a l l u v i a l " construction i n the typically D u t c h environments.
I n spite o f these varied indigenous activities, many D u t c h engineers have long been attracted by the wider scope and scale of w o r k i n f o r e i g n countries. I n the East Indies they acquired and developed the techniques o f tropical engineering, such as i r r i g a t i o n , and another dimension was added to their relatively flat field o f work when steep m o u n t a i n roads and railways had to have tunnels, and h i g h dams i n rivers were needed f o r the storage o f i r r i g a t i o n water and the u t i l i z a t i o n of hydro-power. M a n y D u t c h c i v i l engineers have i n the past chosen a career i n this area, and later on i n the West Indies as well, p l a y i n g their role i n the opening u p and developing o f a part o f t h e tropics, while at the same time e n j o y i n g
the privilege of woridng i n challenging natural conditions. I n the late 1930's about 200 D u t c h civil engineers were w o r k i n g i n the East Indies. But there were also D u t c h engineers i n other parts of the w o r l d ; con-tractors f r o m H o l l a n d b u i l t harbours and ports on all five continents. Dredgers f r o m H o l l a n d can be seen w o r k i n g a l l over the globe i n m a j o r estuaries, rivers, harbour entrances and port basins. Moreover, D u t c h contractors participate i n the b u i l d i n g of dams and rivers; they construct roads, railways and large buildings; and i n many countries they have offices and subsidiary companies.
Before the Second W o r l d W a r , the D e l f t Hydraulics L a b o r a t o r y started to make investigations and model studies of foreign ports f o r Govern-ments and contractors. Since the war these " f o r e i g n " studies, although they are done w i t h i n the Netherlands, have been increasing i n number, and almost one out of every six models or studies is now devoted to a problem o f a foreign country. This scientific w o r k often means that engineers f r o m the L a b o r a t o r y go abroad to collect the data required for the model, or f o r a field investigation p r e l i m i n a r y to the model study. Since the f o u n d a d o n o f t h e D e l f t Technological University D u t c h experts have w o r k e d i n isolation i n far-away countries as advisers and consultants. Some names may be mentioned here: early i n this century K R A U S and V A N M O U R I K B R O E K M A N worked i n South A m e r i c a ; later on, H O M A N V A N DER H E I D E d i d i m p o r t a n t work i n T h a i l a n d , B O U R D R E Z i n Ghina and G A N T E R GREMERS i n Egypt. There were m a n y others, and already i n the period between the W o r l d Wars there was a consulting engineers' office specializing i n civil engineering works abroad: N I J H O F F . T h e y all continued along the p a t h already set b y the seventeenth-century polder-makers who advised foreign governments on the possibilities o f reclama-tion, b u t now the scope o f their w o r k was m u c h greater and they took w i t h them the various D u t c h skills and sciences adapted to foreign condi-tions. D u t c h consulting engineers and experts have greatly increased their activities abroad i n the postwar years, and are currently w o r k i n g i n some 40 countries on a l l continents.
Finally, m a n y D e l f t civil engineers have t e m p o r a r i l y or permanently emigrated to foreign countries where they have j o i n e d either p u b l i c works authorities or large engineering firms. I n AustraUa, Ganada, N e w Zea-land, South A f r i c a and the U . S . A . there are large numbers of D e l f t c i v i l engineers. Some indeed, may have changed their nationality, b u t not
their identity as graduates f r o m D e l f t . One out of every five or six D e l f t c i v i l engineers is at present l i v i n g abroad, or based i n a foreign country. E v e n though i n recent years h a r d l y any D u t c h engineers have been w o r k i n g i n Indonesia, their activities have greatly increased i n m a n y other foreign countries. Contractors, consultants and experts are a l l expanding their w o r k and scope o f w o r k abroad. M a n y institutions, laboratories and other civil engineering bodies based i n H o l l a n d are carrying out studies and investigations f o r clients abroad.
W h a t can have been the origin and the reason of a l l these " f o r e i g n " activities? A n d w h a t is the cause of the recent increase?
Before attempting to answer these questions, a summary must first be made o f the above-indicated activities to facihtate the discovery of a possible t r e n d and an explanation of the postwar increase. Such a sum-m a r y , o f course, can b y no sum-means be a cosum-mplete and cosum-mprehensive list of a l l works carried out by, or i n v o l v i n g the presence of, D u t c h civil engineers abroad i , b u t i t w i l l at least iUustrate the extent and versatility of their activities.
T H E E A S T A N D W E S T I N D I E S
T h e development of a country's economy, as we now see i t , should be b o t h i n the social and i n the technological fields. Social development includes the construction of houses, schools, hospitals, towns, roads and pubhc utilities. A l t h o u g h the technological development is already being approached i n this phase, a certain infrastructure is required before the economy can get " o f f the g r o u n d " and becomes sell-supporting. This w i l l cover the provision of possibihties of transport and means of communication, such as roads, railways, waterways, bridges, ports and airfields. T h e n comes the technological development w i t h i n -dustries and their laboratories, and trade, urbanization, and traffic w i l l increase.
I n many cases of a developing country, agriculture must be gready stimulated to support the nation's economy, to raise surplus funds and profits f o r the financing of the development work, and to increase the
1 M u c h information has been derived f r o m the memorial book: "50 Jaar Afdeling
income of a great part of the population. A g r i c u l t u r a l engineering is, therefore, an i m p o r t a n t component o f t h e development; water manage-ment, erosion control, flood control, drainage, i r r i g a t i o n and reclamadon are the subjects i n w h i c h the c i v i l engineer can display his skills and sciences, together w i t h his colleague, the a g r i c u l t u r a l engineer.
I n the f o r m e r D u t c h East Indies, the period between the W o r l d Wars showed the same pattern o f development. F r o m the f o l l o w i n g summary, however, one must not gain the impression that ah this has been the w o r k o f D u t c h engineers. O n the contrary: Indonesian and Chinese engineers and technicians played an increasing role i n the development. T h e Technological University o f Bandung was opened i n 1920, and its many graduates assisted, collaborated w i t h , and finally took over f r o m their D u t c h predecessors and contemporaries.
T h e p l a n n i n g o f the work was undertaken by Government departments, w h i c h at first also carried out the actual construction. Later on, the execution o f the works was increasingly done by contractors, and a n u m -ber o f D u t c h contracting firms was based i n Indonesia, together w i t h local firms.
Roads were constructed and developed w i t h the advent o f the motor car. N o t only was the road network considerably increased i n length, b u t the q u a l i t y o f the surfacing was also improved. T a r r e d roads, asphalt roads i n various compositions, and even roads w i t h a rubber component were tested and constructed. N e w bridges were made o f steel and concrete to supplement the more conventional materials, such as timber and bamboo, o f w h i c h many economical, elaborate and strong structures were made.
Railways were constructed on Java, M a d u r a and Sumatra, u p to a total pre-war length o f 4,500 miles. A l i m i t e d number o f lines has electric traction, and m o u n t a i n lines w i t h rack railways were occasionally con-structed.
Ports have always been very i m p o r t a n t i n the archipelagoes o f the East and West Indies. T h e harbours o f T a n d j o n g Priok, Semarang, Surabaya, Belawan and Makassar i n the East, and Curasao and A r u b a i n the West, were developed into i n t e r n a t i o n a l ports w i t h a considerable traffic handled along caisson type quays. River ports hke Palembang, D j a m b i , Bandjer-masin and Pontianak, and island ports i n the bays o f Sabang and A m b o n , were a l l equipped to receive ocean-going ships alongside concrete or
t i m b e r jetties on steel screw-pile foundations. Access to the ports was i m p r o v e d b y dredging and by constructing breakwaters.
Waterwajs consisted mainly of rivers, f o r w h i c h before the W a r only Uttle i m p r o v e m e n t was justified. A few canals were constructed w i t h appur-tenant locks, and dikes along the m a i n rivers prevented fioods where these created a danger.
Airfields were constructed i n many places on the p r i n c i p a l islands, to be served by the f a i r l y dense network of inter-insular airUnes.
Buildings Uke offices, sheds, stations, hospitals, schools and houses steadily developed f r o m simple single-story wooden and bamboo structures i n t o stone and concrete buildings w i t h a new style, based on tropical require-ments and the structural possibilities o f the new materials, together w i t h European influences. Systematic t o w n - p l a n n i n g was started shortly be-fore the W a r , w i t h t o w n extensions, and after the W a r the new sateUite t o w n of K e b a j o r a n near D j a k a r t a was planned and b u i l t .
Public utilities and amenities came along w i t h the general development and the expanding urbanization. Water supply, sewage installations and power for the m a i n centres were provided, taking into account the special requirements o f tropical communities. A separate Government department was established as early as 1917 f o r the study and design of h y d r o -power stations, and before the W a r two dozen m a j o r hydro-plants were i n operation, together w i t h a few hundred smaller stations w h i c h served m a i n l y the demands of plantations.
Agricultural engineering, as already pointed out, has been i m p o r t a n t i n the East Indies and more recently also i n Surinam. I r r i g a t i o n i n the East Indies already dates f r o m a century ago. I n the present century, m a n y large projects i n the plains of Java and the other islands were studied, designed and executed. Here, the engineer could display his techniques o f planning, probabiUty and statistics, hydraulics and construction, along w i t h the activities of his agricultural colleagues. A Hydraulics L a b o r a t o r y was established i n Semarang where new designs f o r sluices, intakes, stiUing basins and weirs were tested and developed.
A large number o f m a j o r projects, each serving areas o f between 50,000 and 175,000 acres, was completed before 1941: six i n West Java, two i n Gentral Java, three i n East Java, one i n South Sumatra, and t w o i n Gelebes. H a l f a dozen large storage basins were constructed to provide f o r dry-season i r r i g a t i o n , and many smaller reservoirs served the
require-merits of short-term storage. A total area of 8,500,000 acres was made suitable f o r rice cultivation by means of i r r i g a t i o n .
A f t e r the W a r , irrigation projects were made and carried out i n D u t c h New Guinea and also i n Surinam, where reclamation and p u m p e d i r r i g a -t i o n s-timula-ted -the cul-tiva-tion of rice. T h e hydro-po-ten-tial of N e w G u i n e a was investigated, and the multi-purpose Brokopondo Project i n Surinam,, now under construction, w i l l also serve i r r i g a t i o n apart f r o m its m a i n power aspect.
T h e advent of the o i l industry i n the Indies necessitated m a n y c i v i l engineering works: ports, jetties, roads and bridges were constructed i n Sumatra and Borneo, and also i n Guragao and A r u b a , f o r the develop-ment of oil-fields and f o r the operation of the large refineries. T h e ports of the latter islands were extensively i m p r o v e d after W o r l d W a r I I , a n d the i n t e r n a t i o n a l airports i n the West Indies were also constructed a n d expanded.
D U T C H C O N T R A C T O R S A B R O A D
T h e D u t c h dredging contractors were among the first to extend their field of activities to foreign countries.
Together w i t h dredging - w h i c h still is a m a j o r occupation o f D u t c h contractors abroad - they took w i t h them their technique o f constructing ports, and the D u t c h contracting firms now operating i n foreign coun-tries, often specialize i n harbour works. F r o m this, they developed i n t o contractors f o r hydraulic structures i n general, and dikes, canals, dams, weirs or bridges are now frequently being constructed i n foreign countries by D u t c h firms, either i n d i v i d u a l l y or i n partnership w i t h other foreign or local contractors. B u t the construction o f roads, railways and buildings is also undertaken by Netherlands firms abroad.
For many years dredging was m a i n l y a matter of experience, an e m p i r i c a l art and a skill to w h i c h the c i v i l engineer could contribute only l i t t l e w i t h his theory and science. B u t w i t h the development of dredging equip-ment and of hydraulics, and w i t h the widening o f the contracting field as described above, contracting became an activity f o r the D e l f t c i v i l engineer as well. L a b o r a t o r y experiments and hydraulic computations are required not only f o r the design b u t also f o r the construction o f hydraulic works. Large contractors i n the Netherlands either have their
o w n design office or they call i n experts and consultants. T u r n - k e y pro-jects w h i c h include b o t h design and construction are sometimes under-taken, whilst i n other cases alternative designs made by D u t c h contractors are carried out b y t h e m . There is a certain tendency nowadays to specify fewer details of construction i n the tender documents, and to leave these to the contractor. I t w i l l be evident that the D e l f t c i v i l engineer is closely i n v o l v e d i n this development.
A geographical grouping of the m a i n works p a r t l y or f u l l y b u i l t abroad by D u t c h contractors i n this century, w i t h o u t laying c l a i m to any com-pleteness, shows the f o l l o w i n g picture, i
I n Europe D u t c h contractors or their subsidiary companies b u i l t , dredged, or collaborated i n the construction of the undermentioned ports, quays, w'harves, and other hydraulic and civil engineering constructions: Spain: Valencia, Las Palmas, L a Coruna, M a d r i d , Cadiz,
Sevilla;
Portugal Leixoes, Peniche, Lisbon, Funchal, Figuera da Foz, San A n t o n i o ;
E n g l a n d L e i t h , Shoreham, Fleetwood, Sandown, Morecambe, the Mersey river, Horsey, M a r y p o r t , Middles-b o r o u g h ;
I r e l a n d Cork, Goleraine, D u n d a l k , W e x f o r d ;
Germany D a n t z i g , Wilhelmshaven and K i e l e r canal dredging; France D u n k i r k reconstruction, Marseilles, Port de Bouc,
Port St. Louis and A Ü a n t i c estuaries dredging, D o n z è r e - M o n d r a g o n - c o n s t r u c t i o n ;
B e l g i u m A n t w e r p and A l b e r t Canal (both d r e d g i n g ) ; D e n m a r k D r e d g i n g ;
Sweden Lulea harbour and Falsterbo canal d r e d g i n g ; N o r w a y O s l o f j o r d o i l installations;
Greece Skaramanga port installations;
M a l t a V a l e t t a harbour, dockyard and other constructions. I n Africa there have been, and still are, many D u t c h contractors actively engaged i n port construcdon and other works:
South A f r i c a Cape T o w n port and extension, construction of a graving dock, Walvisbay, D u r b a n ;
i M u c h information has been derived from the memorial book: "50 Jaar Afdeling Bouw-& Waterbouwkunde van het K o n i n k l i j k Instituut van Ingenieurs 1906-1956".
Mozambique Congo U g a n d a Southern Rhodesia Sudan K e n y a Egypt L i b y a Morocco L i b e r i a Guinea Ghana Nigeria
Beira port facilities (alternative design and con-struction) ;
Leopoldville jetties, quays and sHpway w i t h Belgian contractors;
O w e n Falls D a m w i t h British contractors; Power-station, brewery, public buildings; Port Sudan port installations;
Mombassa dredging;
Esna Barrage reconstruction, I d f i n a Barrage, w i t h British and French contractors, respectively. Port Said and Suez Canal dredging;
Marsa al Bregha H a r b o u r works;
Ports of Mozagan, Mogador, Casablanca and re-cently A g a d i r ;
M o n r o v i a , and public buildings; Conakry dredging;
Accra dredging, public construction;
Lagos dredging and reclamation. Port H a r c o u r t approach channel dredging, Escravos breakwater ( w i t h British and U . S . contractors), lagoon and creek dredging, pipelines, roads, foundations and buildings.
I n the Middle East the activities of D u t c h construction companies were often connected w i t h the exploitation and export o f the m i n e r a l w e a l t h : T u r k e y Cyprus Israel A d e n I r a q K u w a i t Bahrein
Design, model investigation and construction of a number of ports along the Black Sea and the M e d -iterranean: Zonguldak, Samsun, M e r s i n , B a r t i n . Design of 37 other ports. Participation i n construc-tion of airfields;
Limassol port construction ( p a r t i c i p a t i o n ) ; H a i f a j e t t y and dredging ( w i t h Israeli firms); O i l harbour and dredging;
Musseyib p u m p i n g station, M o s u l factory, H i l l a h canal;
D r e d g i n g ; O i l jetties.
Asia and the Far East have for a long time, been an area of a c t i v i t y o f D u t c h contractors:
I r a n Nowshar Port (design and construction) roads and railways;
Pakistan K a r a c h i Port (reconstruction East Wharves); I n d i a Bombay o i l jetties and naval dockyard, H o o g h l y
river dredging;
T h a i l a n d Bangkok approach channel dredging, Sattahip dredging;
Phillipines O i l j etty;
China Shanghai, Chefoo, Macao, A m o y , and, uncom-pleted, H u l u t a o , Lao Yao and Canton, all ports, p o r t installations and dredging;
H o n g k o n g Quay walls and p o r t installations;
Indonesia Before and shortly after the W a r , many D u t c h con-tractors participated i n the construction o f t h e public works mentioned i n the second chapter of this review. I n New Guinea, airports, agricultural stations, fac-tories, roads and public buildings were constructed. I n Ausiralia and New Zealand the f o l l o w i n g works were undertaken: Australia M e l b o u r n e , Perth, A l b a n y , Geelong, K u r n e l l ,
New-castle, Freemantle and Sydney, all dredging; Ade-laide Pier and w h a r f ;
Tasmania D r e d g i n g ; N e w Zealand A u c k l a n d harbour works.
T h e activities of D u t c h contractors i n the A m e r i c a n countries have been restricted to South America:
Brazil Ilheos dredging works;
Colombia Dredging, and construction of factories and p u b l i c buildings;
Venezuela Puerto Cabello and Maracaibo p o r t and o i l installations and dredging, R i o Chico, R i o T u y , Las M o -rachas;
Caribbean A r u b a and Curasao quay walls and o i l installations, San A m d r è s dredging;
Chile Talcahuano, San A n t o n i o harbour works, V i n a del M a r bridge and San Bernardo railway works.
T h e above examples of D u t e h contracting work abroad show that the contractor f r o m the Netherlands by no means feels restricted i n his geographical field o f activities. T h e same is true, however, for many of his international colleagues, and competition is, indeed, still increasing. Here the D u t c h are sometimes l i m i t e d i n their possibilities vis-a-vis foreign competitors, i f there is a national protection (either of local contractors or of currency), or when conditions of bilateral aid {e.g., tied loans) make i t impossible f o r them to participate i n tendering. The D u t c h contractors are then at a disadvantage because their o w n country has so far not adopted the policy of giving such support to its national enterprises. This means that D u t c h contracting firms must increasingly depend on the good q u a l i t y and low cost o f their performance, on their sometimes superior equipment, on their long and varied experience and on applica-tion of modern theories and methods. Where the execuapplica-tion of large hydraulic works is becoming a science rather than an inherited skill, the t r a i n i n g of the civil engineer, and his scientific tools, become even more i m p o r t a n t .
T h e collaboration between contractors and a hydraulics' laboratory i n this respect has already been mentioned, and so the activities of the D e l f t Hydraulics' Laboratory w i t h regard to projects abroad, must now be outlined.
F O R E I G N M O D E L S I N D E L F T
There was a period when model studies for D u t c h h y d r a u l i c projects were carried out i n a foreign laboratory, because there was no such i n -stitution i n H o l l a n d . A f t e r September, 1927, however, the many hydraulic aspects of national projects were a l l studied i n the newly-established D e l f t Hydraulics' L a b o r a t o r y ; and i n the f o l l o w i n g six years a l l model inves-tigations there were exclusively f o r projects w i t h i n the Netherlands. I n 1930, however, one o f these models was o f a special character, because it was the first to deal w i t h the subject of a harbour entrance along a sandy coast, namely, the H o o k of H o l l a n d m o u t h of the R o t t e r d a m W a t e r w a y on the N o r t h Sea Coast. This study involved the use of a movable-bed model, i n w h i c h grains o f pumice sand were utilized to simulate the l i t t o r a l sand-drift i n nature, and the movement, deposition and scour o f sediments under influence o f waves and currents.
T h i s model was the forerunner o f a large number of similar movable-bed models and studies of harbour entrances along sandy coasts a n d a great m a n y of these were along foreign coasts.
T h e first of these was a study o f Zeebmgge Harbour i n Belgium w h i c h was started i n 1933, and almost simultaneously a model-study o f the new harbour entrance to the Port of Abidjan on the Ivory Coast (West A f r i c a ) . Both studies were made on behalf of the respective Governments.
S t i l l before the W a r , two models were made f o r the Port of Leith (Great Britain), b u t this time the study was made for a D u t c h contractor. These models served to investigate the penetration of waves and the possibihties o f reducing the agitation o f t h e water surface along quays and i n h a r b o u r basins.
A f t e r the W a r a m u l t i t u d e o f foreign models were made i n the D e l f t Laboratory, and later also i n the De Voorst open-air l a b o r a t o r y : nearly
100 models and investigations out o f t h e almost 600 postwar assignments of D e l f t . Needless to say, u n t i l 1960 all these studies were carried out under the supervision o f Professor THIJSSE, who greatly stimulated this " f o r e i g n " work, not least because i t broadens the outlook o f the D e l f t c i v i l engineer.
T o continue the sub-division i n subjects, a few more o f t h e foreign sandy-coast models and studies may be mentioned. T h e possibility o f construc-t i n g a porconstruc-t aconstruc-t Ada i n Ghana on construc-the V o l construc-t a River m o u construc-t h was exconstruc-tensively studied and finally proved. T h e access to the port of Lagos i n Nigeria was studied almost simultaneously; both models had a bed of pumice sand and were operated w i t h waves and tides. I n Lagos, the p r o b l e m o f erosion d o w n - d r i f t f r o m the harbour moles, and deposition and bypassing f r o m u p - d r i f t , were studied, and remedies were indicated. Later on, a still larger model o f Lagos Entrance, together w i t h the lagoons and p o r t areas, was constructed i n De Voorst, w i t h a bed of sand. This latter model is, indeed, a semipermanent one, i n w h i c h successive extensions and i m -provements to the port are studied.
A study of the Maracaibo Bar i n Venezuela was made i n connection w i t h shoaling and dredging problems. A similar study was made o f t h e m o u t h of the Bergrivier i n Southwest Africa, and later on of the Bonny Bar i n Nigeria, where the access to the Bonny o i l t e r m i n a l and to the wharves o f Port H a r c o u r t had to be deepened. These studies necessitated site visits and theoretical investigations and computations based on data f r o m the f i e l d .
A project for a harbour at Assab i n Ethiopia was studied i n m i n i a t u r e . A large model of the Thyboron Channel i n Denmark had a bed o f g r o u n d bakelite; the problems of coastal erosion and scouring channels were studied, and the recommended solution w i t h moles included the deter-m i n a t i o n of the best aligndeter-ment of these deter-moles.
T h e alignment o f the new Escravos breakwaters i n Nigeria has been exten-sively studied i n a sandy-bed model. A d d i t i o n a l tests o n this project examined the stability of the rubble-mound breakwater, possible alter-native constructions, and the various stages of execution o f the w o r k . A n interesting aspect of this series of Escravos tests is that they were respectively commissioned b y a Government, by consulting engineers, and by contractors.
T h e lay-out o f the most favourable position o f a new channel i n Albatross Bay (Australia) has been studied i n a model w i t h a sandy bed. Studies were also made of Beyrut Harbour (Lebanon) and of Marsa al Bregha (Libya). Another model investigation was for the proposed p o r t at S u m near Bandar Abbas (Iran).
Investigations into the penetration of waves i n harbour basins, already mentioned i n the L e i t h model, have also been made since the war f o r the f o l l o w i n g foreign ports:
Zonguldak i n T u r k e y L a t a k i a i n Syria Samsun i n T u r k e y Tartons i n Syria Mersin i n T u r k e y M i d y e i n T u r k e y B a r t i n i n T u r k e y Ganakkale i n T u r k e y B a n d i r m a i n T u r k e y H a n s t h o l m i n D e n m a r k , and f o r a number o f other, m a i n l y T u r k i s h , ports.
T h e stability o f the harbour moles of a number of the above-mentioned ports was also investigated, i n addition to w h i c h the f o l l o w i n g profiles of harbour moles were, investigated i n the w i n d and wave-flumes o f the D e l f t L a b o r a t o r y :
Golombo i n Geylon A d a i n Ghana Barbados i n the Caribbean Escravos i n Nigeria
S u m i n I r a n Puerto Gabello i n Venezuela.
T h e currents i n the entrance to the harbour of Curagao (Caribbean) were studied i n a large model w i t h the use of self-propelled remote-controlled ships. Shoahng of the port o f Workington (Great Britain) was invesdgated on site, and so was the siltation i n the access to the p o r t of Bhavnagar
(India). For the study of the sihation and erosion processes near the port o f Georgetown (British Guiana) a team o f five experts spent more t h a n a year on site; i t proved possible to formulate recommendations here w i t h -out needing a model.
T h e access to the port o f Bangkok (Thailand), w h i c h was extensively surveyed and studied on site by a team o f eight D u t e h specialists, was reproduced i n a large model automatically operated w i t h tides and river discharges, whilst the currents resulting f r o m the difference i n density o f sea and river water were reproduced by actual density-currents i n the model.
Foreign rivers also fiow i n the D e l f t Laboratory. T h e flooding of the R i v e r Trent near Nottingham (England) was studied i n a model and possible remedies have been indicated. T h e diversion o f t h e Stjördal River (Norway), the effect of bridge-piers i n the Fraser Kwtr (Canada), navigation problems downstream f r o m the proposed Kainji Dam i n the Niger (Nigeria), and navigation across the Bajiho Rapids i n the Niger (Nigeria) have a l l been studied i n models. I n the latter case, self-propelled remote-controlled ships are again being used: f r o m the manoeuvrability o f models o f the actual river vessels i t can be j u d g e d to what extent i m p r o v e m e n t o f t h e rapids is required.
A number of other models are related to hydrauhc constructions i n various parts of the w o r l d .
I n the case o f a great many o f these " f o r e i g n " models i t is necessary f o r one or more engineers of the laboratory to pay a site-visit to the area o f the prototype. T h e purpose o f this is to investigate the available i n f o r m a -t i o n , -to collec-t new da-ta by measuremen-ts and observa-tions, -to familiarize himself w i t h the problems and their environments, and to discuss the questions and possible solutions w i t h the local experts. I n many cases a field investigation, w i t h possibly f u r t h e r studies and computations, proves to be a sufficient basis for recommendations as to the solution o f the problem.
I n this way, many o f the civil engineers of the D e l f t L a b o r a t o r y regularly go abroad. A n o t h e r purpose o f their frequent trips to foreign countries m a y be the wish to consult w i t h their colleagues f r o m other laboratories, all members o f the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Association for H y d r a u l i c Research, or to attend conferences and conventions.
-lie advice because constructions may have to be designed, or when exten-sive field investigations are required for the basis of computations or recommendations or as a p r e l i m i n a r y to a model study, the D e l f t H y d r a u -lics' L a b o r a t o r y frequently co-operates w i t h D u t c h consulting engineers. But this is only one of the aspects and activities of D u t c h consulting engineering i n foreign countries: the next chapter w i l l indicate what else they are doing abroad.
C O N S U L T A N T S T O T H E W O R L D
Before the Second W o r l d W a r , D u t c h consulting engineers confined themselves to w o r k w i t h i n the Netherlands and its colonies, w i t h one exception: the internabonal consulting civil engineer N I J H O F F ' S Bureau. T h e consulting w o r k i n H o l l a n d itself was f u r t h e r restricted because all
m a j o r public civil works i n the Netherlands are designed and supervised by public authorities, such as the Rijkswaterstaat (State Public Works), municipalides or port authorities.
I t was realized d u r i n g the W a r , however, that i n order to recover f r o m the isolation and damage suffered i t w o u l d be necessary for H o l l a n d to export not only goods but also services and know-how, because only i n that way could i t play its modest role i n the i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o m m u n i t y once again. H o l l a n d had indeed something to o f f e r : their great experience i n the design o f hydraulic and other civil engineering works, and also of tropical engineering as described i n CHAPTER T W O of this review. This latter p o i n t was stressed when i t became clear that D u t c h engineer-ing activities i n Indonesia w o u l d be greatly reduced i n postwar years, w h i c h meant that on the one hand an increased supply of specialist engineers w i t h tropical experience w o u l d be available, but that on the other h a n d this supply m i g h t soon end i f no new t r o p i c a l experience was to be obtained by the rising generations.
T h e p r o b l e m was how to make the existing know-how available to foreign clients, how to retain a reservoir o f expert civil and a g r i c u l t u r a l engineers w i t h experience abroad, notably i n tropical countries, and how to prevent the indiscriminate emigration o f these experts to foreign countries w i t h a consequent loss to the D u t c h c o m m u n i t y . This p r o b l e m was solved i n an interesting way.
established to study, to plan and to give advice on matters of p u b l i c and private engineering i n countries abroad. I t consists of a permanent staff of experienced engineers i n charge o f preparatory and co-ordinating activities, who can and w i l l , i f required, call i n various experts and or-ganizations available i n H o l l a n d . T o this end, the co-operation o f Govern-ment and other authorities, as w e l l as that o f many D u t c h p u b l i c institu-tions, consulting offices and specialised engineers, has been secured. By this system of co-operation i t has become possible to pool the entire knowledge and experience of experts i n H o l l a n d , i n c l u d i n g those i n p u b l i c functions. This system also makes i t possible to call on specialists i n fields outside the scope of c i v i l engineering experts: specialists on a g r i c u l t u r a l subjects may be consulted f o r problems of i r r i g a t i o n or r e c l a m a t i o n ; expert advice on matters of organization may be required f o r problems of transport by water, r a i l road or air. This co-operation on a n a t i o n a l scale makes i t possible to tackle extensive and complicated problems beyond the capacity and scope o f n o r m a l consulting offices and engineer-i n g fengineer-irms. However, engineer-i n many cases the exengineer-istengineer-ing, and engineer-i n the past ten years greatly expanded, private consulting engineers' offices carry out the required studies and designs and supervise the execution of the works on behalf of the central j o i n t organization, but under its overall responsibil-i t y and co-ordresponsibil-inatresponsibil-ion. T h e co-operatresponsibil-ion also responsibil-includes the two large agrresponsibil-i- agri-c u l t u r a l engineering and l a n d development bureaus i n H o l l a n d , as well as a bureau of airport consultants.
N o r m a l l y the phases covered by consulting engineers include the appraisal of the problem, the m a k i n g of a feasibility project, the preparation of a general design, w i t h estimates and specifications, the d r a w i n g up of the tenders and selection o f the most acceptable tenderer, and supervision o f the construction. The actual construction is left to contractors.
T h e co-ordination of the D u t c h consulting engineering activities has met w i t h an encouraging response not only f r o m those concerned i n H o l l a n d b u t also f r o m the foreign authorities i n charge of development and con-struction. Here is a summary o f t h e p r i n c i p a l studies and projects made by D u t c h consulting engineers i n the past twelve years:
Hydro-electric projects
S u r i n a m Study o f t h e technical and economic feasibility o f a large storage reservoir and water-power station.
N e w Guinea General study of water-power potentialities.
Nigeria Gomprehensive studies, i n co-operation w i t h British Gonsultants, on the feasibility o f a multiple-purpose d a m i n the Niger River near K a i n j i ; preparation o f tender documents.
Harbour and Port projects
I r a n General study w i t h projects on the development o f some southern Persian G u l f ports.
Preparation of design and tender documents f o r the Ports o f Bandar Abbas and Bushehr.
Investigation i n t o the possibilities of increasing the depth of the approaches to the Port of Bandar M a s h u r . Pakistan Study on the reconstruction of the East Wharves at the
Port o f K a r a c h i .
Report, design, and supervision o f i m p r o v e m e n t o f five i n l a n d ports i n East Pakistan.
Geylon Study o f the operation and development o f the Port o f Golombo and other ports.
T h a i l a n d Field investigation and model study o f the approach channel to the Port of Bangkok w i t h the object o f re-ducing maintenance dredging costs.
E t h i o p i a P r e l i m i n a r y project and survey of Port o f Assab. M e x i c o Report on general programme of the development o f a l l
ports i n M e x i c o .
Nigeria Field investigation of possibilities of i m p r o v e m e n t of access to the Ports o f B u r u t u , W a r r i and Sapele; model study of recommended Escravos improvements.
Preliminary design for improvements to the river Port of Baro.
Ghana Supervision of the construction of a cement clinker han-d l i n g j e t t y at T a k o r a han-d i .
Morocco General investigation i n t o economical and technical possibilities o f the developing o f some M e d i t e r r a n e a n ports.
Brazil Preliminary study on the improvement o f approaches to Porto Alegre.
S u r i n a m Design and supervision of construction of a new port at Paramaribo.
British Guiana Economic and technical study and p l a n n i n g of the re-construction of the Port of Georgetown.
Colombia Project for the rehabilitation and improvement of the Port of Buenaventura, i n co-operation w i t h C o l o m b i a n consultants.
Reclamation, irrigation and. drainage projects
I r a q Project for the A b u Dibbis and W a d i T h a r tar depres-sions and supervision o f construction o f the Razaza dike at A b u Dibbis.
Project on drainage problems i n H i l l a - D i w a n i y a h area. Projects for several p u m p i n g stations.
I r a n Project of an i r r i g a t i o n scheme on the K a r k h e h River i n Khuzistan.
Syria Multiple-purpose scheme for the Ghab Valley, i n c l u d i n g reclamation, i r r i g a t i o n , reservoirs, power, fisheries, and p l a n n i n g o f towns, villages, farms and roads.
Investigations on i r r i g a t i o n , drainage and reclamation of soils i n the Euphrates Project Area.
Egypt Study o f the possibilities to protect Philae monuments by construction of a dike.
Drainage Project by application o f tile-drains i n the N i l e Delta.
Ethiopia I r r i g a t i o n project for a sugar estate at W o n j i .
Nyassaland Survey and exploratory investigation f o r the reclama-tion and utilizareclama-tion of the Elephant M a r s h .
Rhodesia Feasibility study for reclamation o f the K a f u e Flats and supervision of development o f a p i l o t polder.
Congo I r r i g a t i o n project for a sugar estate.
Ghana Report on i r r i g a t i o n and c u l t i v a t i o n of the A n g a w Lagoon basin. Project for storm drainage o f Accra. Guinea Drainage and sanitation project f o r an area near the
Rio Nunez.
I n d i a Study and supervision o f a pilot polder i n Saurahstra. Prehminary report, design and supervision o f drainage
and reclamation o f the N o r t h e r n Salt Lake near Cal-cutta.
General advice and assistance for investigation i n t o the possibility of reclaiming the Sunderbans area southeast of Calcutta.
J a p a n Report on the i m p o l d e r i n g project of H a c h i r o Gata Lake. Korea Project for tidal land reclamation i n the southern and
western coastal areas.
New Zealand Report on the Waimea Estuary Reclamation Project. U n i t e d States Report on the feasibility o f reclaiming the Hackensack
Meadows i n New Jersey.
Cuba Study and project for master-plan for i m p o l d e r i n g o f t h e Zapata swamps.
Puerto Rico Project for a pilot polder i n the former Guanica Lake. A r g e n t i n a Survey and investigation for a pilot polder i n the Parana
Delta.
Greece Study and supervision o f reclamation o f a lagoon area w i t h pilot polder near Missolonghi.
River investigations Nigeria
Ghana
Brazil
General survey, study and investigation o f the Niger and Benue Rivers w i t h the object of determining how the navigation conditions can be most effectively i m p r o v e d . General study of the hydrological regime and the nav-igability o f the Niger Delta.
Preliminary study o f possibilities to improve the Cross River.
General advice to the I n l a n d Waterways Department as consultants for hydrological matters.
Design for and supervision of clearing the Bajibo Rapids to improve the n a v i g a b i l i t y ; continued study w i t h a hydraulic model.
Study, design and supervision o f projects to improve the drainage capacity of the O d a w and N i m a Rivers and the K o r l e Lagoon to prevent annual f l o o d i n g of parts of Accra.
and Ivinheima-Brilhante for the improvement o f nav-igability.
I r a q Study of the Tigris between M o s u l and Baghdad to determine the possibility o f i m p r o v i n g the n a v i g a b i l i t y . Pakistan General advice as Gonsultants to the East Pakistan I n
-l a n d Water Transport A u t h o r i t y .
Gomprehensive survey w i t h recommendations for the i m -provement o f t h e navigable waterways of East Pakistan.
Roads, railways and transport projects
T u r k e y Preliminary study o f traffic problems i n I s t a n b u l .
Study of the u n i f i c a t i o n and renewal o f tracks and bridges of the State R a i l w a y .
I r a q Project on construction o f the B a i j i - Q u a i y a r a road and supervision of execution o f t h e K e r b e l a - N a j e f and Najef-A b u Sukhair roads.
R u a n d a Supervision of the construction of roads.
N i g e r Republic Study of the transport facilities w i t h the object o f i m -p r o v i n g the trans-port routes to the A t l a n t i c Ocean i n co-operation w i t h French Gonsultants.
A r g e n t i n a Study o f t h e railway, ports and navigation sections o f an overall transportation study.
Project for and supervision of construction o f a highway bridge across the l i g r i s at M o s u l .
Project f o r and supervision of construction o f a h i g h w a y bridge across the Niger at Onitsha.
Study, design and specifications for a highway bridge across the V o l t a near Tefle.
Project and supervision of construction of a road bridge across the K o r l e Lagoon near Accra.
Project and supervision o f construction of two r a i l w a y bridges.
Project and supervision of construction, i n co-operation w i t h Canadian Gonsultants, of a highway bridge across the Fraser River near Vancouver.
Bridges I r a q
N i g e r i a
Ghana
Industrial projects
Brazil Study o f coal m i n i n g and related industrial problems. S u r i n a m Study on problems of bauxite m i n i n g .
Curagao Study of possibilities o f extending the saltwater distilla-t i o n p l a n distilla-t ; design, distilla-tendering and supervision o f con-struction of the a d d i t i o n a l plant.
T h o u g h the m a j o r i t y o f these projects refer to the typical hydraulic and transportation problems i n w h i c h the D u t c h have been specializing i n their o w n country, i t is evident that m a n y other studies and investigations are also being undertaken, mostly concerning tropical engineering. Economic aspects cannot be neglected i n any engineering project, and sometimes the economic angle is predominant. For these and other cases cooperation has been estabhshed w i t h the Netherlands Economic I n -stitute o f R o t t e r d a m .
Co-operation w i t h foreign consultants also occurs, as can be seen f r o m the above summary. This is usually an ad-hoc collaboration f o r a specific project, either at the special request o f a client or because a project may seem to be too comprehensive to be undertaken by any single engineering consultant. O n the other hand, the composition o f the j o i n t organization is exceptional i n that almost a l l branches and aspects of development projects are combined w i t h i n one organization.
I t is d i f f i c u l t to estimate how many D u t c h engineers are n o r m a l l y over-seas i n connection w i t h consulting engineering work, b u t at the time of w r i t i n g this review there are some 70 consulting engineers' technicians abroad, only a part of w h o m are civil engineers, at work on some 15 m a j o r projects. But almost a l l assignments necessitate a shorter or longer visit of a civil engineering speciaHst to the site f o r discussions w i t h the Client, for p r e l i m i n a r y studies, and f o r data collection and field surveys. O n the other hand, m u c h of the design w o r k and the w r i t i n g o f reports is being done i n H o l l a n d .
T h e Head Office o f t h e above-described j o i n t organization i n T h e Hague is f a i r l y small i n itself, b u t when the offices of the separate co-operating consulting engineers are included, the total number o f c i v i l engineers permanently occupying themselves w i t h consulting engineering w o r k f o r foreign countries w i l l amount to over a hundred.
m o n o p o l y for D u t c h consulting engineers' work abroad. I t is a v o l u n t a r y g r o u p i n g , and separate consultants' bureaux may well operate on their own, and under their o w n name, i n foreign countries. The object is only to promote and extend the activides of D u t c h consulting engineers abroad, and i n many cases i t is a clear advantage to b r i n g these activities under one common denominator. The export of our national skill and know-how, viz., o f t h e designing of large hydraulic projects and constructions, is almost exclusively being done w i t h i n the national grouping. B u t a n u m b e r of consulting c i v i l , geodetical, architectural, and a g r i c u l t u r a l engineers w o r k abroad under their o w n name for a variety o f reasons. For instance, i n 1961 a c i v i l engineering services company was established, a private company w h i c h specializes i n the carrying out of a l l kinds o f f i e l d investigations required for the design and the construction o f c i v i l engineering projects. I t also collaborates w i t h the D e l f t Hydraulics L a b o r -atory, and w i t h a soil mechanics laboratory.
T h i s company has carried out hydrographic surveys and h y d r o m e t r i c observations a.o. i n M o z a m b i q u e and i n L i b y a . M a j o r o i l companies have i n these cases made use of its services.
T h e f u t u r e of the D u t c h consulting engineer to work abroad is, n a t u r a l l y , dependent on the development and expansion of the engineering know-how and experience i n H o l l a n d , because i n many o f t h e developing countries the science and practice o f engineering is steadily progressing. H o l -l a n d can on-ly continue to offer its technica-l services for study and design o f civil engineering projects when i t is an advantage to obtain advice f r o m the D u t c h : when they can produce better, cheaper or more advanced projects.
Tor this reason the progressive i n t r o d u c t i o n of research and science i n the work o f Rijkswaterstaat (the State Public Works) and the D e l f t HydrauHcs' L a b o r a t o r y is h i g h l y i m p o r t a n t . Experts f r o m the State can, fortunately, i n many cases be made available for short periods to advise o n foreign projects. T h e D e l f t H y d r a u l i c s ' Laboratory, and n o t a b l y Professor THIJSSE and his successor M r . SCHOEMAKER, has been and still is the mainstay o f the D u t c h consulting engineer. M a n y of their assign-ments have originated f r o m contacts of the Laboratory, and f o r many projects the advice and co-operation o f t h e management and staff o f the L a b o r a t o r y is indispensable. M a n y f o r m e r engineers of the D e l f t H y -draulics' Laboratory, graduated f r o m the "School of Thijsse", have j o i n e d
consulting engineers' organizations, together w i t h engineers f r o m other laboratories and institutions.
The D u t c h consulting engineer w o r k i n g abroad is, indeed, i n a most fortunate position to have the support o f the L a b o r a t o r y and o f the hydraulic services o f the Government experts whenever this may be required.
T H E E M I G R A T E D M A N F R O M D E L F T
I t has already been stated that one out o f every five or six D e l f t civil engineers is based i n a foreign country. This may be only temporarily, when he is stationed abroad by a D u t c h firm, a contractor or a con-sultant f o r a specific project. But a number of D e l f t civil engineers have left the Netherlands permanently, or at least f o r long periods, to five i n foreign countries where they work f o r foreign firms or organizations. O r they may have j o i n e d an international body such as the U n i t e d Nations and its specialized agencies such as the Food and A g r i c u l t u r a l Organiza-t i o n , Organiza-the Economic Gommission f o r A f r i c a , or f o r Asia and Organiza-the Far EasOrganiza-t, or the W o r l d Bank.
Indeed, i n most o f these multi-lateral organizations one can find D u t c h engineers dealing w i t h hydraulics, ports, rivers, polders and locks for projects that are undertaken on an international basis. T h e D u t c h are there f o r obvious reasons: international bodies require i n t e r n a t i o n a l staff, well-versed i n the aspects o f civil engineering abroad.
M a n y engineers are only temporarily employed by i n t e r n a t i o n a l bodies. U n d e r the programmes for Technical Assistance o f the U n i t e d Nations or o f the Netherlands, some ten to twenty c i v i l engineers a year are sent out as i n d i v i d u a l experts to foreign countries f o r assignments that may last f r o m a few weeks to a few years.
I t is more d i f f i c u l t to analyse the w o r k and the motives of those engineers who have emigrated privately to foreign countries. A n u m b e r o f these have undoubtedly been attracted by the thought that to w o r k and live abroad would be more interesting and remunerative t h a n to f o l l o w a career i n H o l l a n d . Some may have thought that there was no f u t u r e f o r them i n the over-populated restricted area of the Netherlands, or t h a t a new country m i g h t offer better chances to their children. A t present, the f o l l o w i n g numbers of civil engineers live i n some of the m a i n emigration countries:
Canada 43 Australia 11 U . S . A . 47 South A f r i c a 35 New Zealand 12
As only a few D u t c h firms work i n these countries, i t may safely be assumed that most o f these civil engineers have emigrated there.
These men f r o m D e l f t are welcomed by foreign firms and Governments when they have something to offer and to contribute, resulting f r o m their t r a i n i n g at the D e l f t Technological University or f r o m their o w n approach to problems.
I t is, however, sometimes experienced that a c i v i l engineer j u s t graduated f r o m the D e l f t University is at a disadvantage i n comparison w i t h his foreign colleague, notably because he has but little experience. I n the U n i t e d K i n g d o m and i n C o m m o n w e a l t h countries an engineer does not usually q u a l i f y professionally before he has obtained the associate m e m -bership o f an I n s t i t u t i o n of C i v i l Engineers, w h i c h is only possible after some years' practical experience. Y o u n g engineers who have w o r k e d i n H o l l a n d f o r a few years after their D e l f t examination before going abroad have, however, a double advantage: they are considered " f u l l y q u a l i f i e d D e l f t Engineers", and their market value is increased because they have something more to offer, especially when they have obtained experience i n the typically D u t c h field of hydraulic engineering.
M a n y c i v i l engineers have, indeed, first spent a few years i n the D e l f t H y d r a u l i c s ' L a b o r a t o r y and thus passed the "School o f Thijsse" before going abroad. I t is felt that this post-graduate t r a i n i n g i n h y d r a u l i c engineering is a most valuable passport to foreign countries, b u t at the same time i t should be realized that by this emigration many capable engineers are t e m p o r a r i l y or permanently lost to the Netherlands, where the local and semi-international possibilities o f employment are certainly not exhausted.
W H Y W O R K A B R O A D ?
I n the I n t r o d u c t i o n to this review the question was raised about the o r i g i n of and reason f o r a l l the " f o r e i g n " activities of the D e l f t c i v i l engineer. T h e summary o f the various types of work undertaken b y D u t c h engineers abroad makes i t possible to deduce a number o f reasons. However, first the personal angle must be considered.
A m e r i c a n and Australian coasts - many of the present D u t c h civil engi-neers seem to like travelling and w o r k i n g i n foreign conditions. There is a fascinating element i n w o r k i n g abroad, especially i n t r o p i c a l areas, a n d tlois is also generally the case w i t h civil engineering. T h e scope o f w o r k is often wider than i n H o l l a n d , no matter how large some o f the national projects themselves may be; conditions i n other countries are more chal-lenging, and work may have to be started " f r o m scratch" instead o f conforming to a set pattern as i n the H o m e l a n d , or p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n only a section i n the greater complexity of well-developed projects i n H o l l a n d ; and opportunities to do outstanding work i n developing countries are more frequent, whilst the responsibility and also the chances o f p r o m o -t i o n are usually grea-ter -than i n -the Ne-therlands.
Being D u t c h , the often higher remuneration abroad may also be an incen-tive, even though this often proves to be only a just compensation f o r w o r k w h i c h is harder and has to be performed under d i f f i c u l t conditions. F i n a l l y , the climate i n H o l l a n d may also be a reason w h y many D u t c h people are only too anxious to travel to warmer countries.
Whatever the reason may be, i t has never been very d i f f i c u l t to find a D u t c h civil engineer w i l l i n g to go abroad f o r a shorter or longer period.
But w h i c h opportunities are offered to h i m , and how can i t be explained that there is a continuing demand for D u t c h civil engineering activities i n foreign countries?
T h e first and obvious reason lies i n the typically D u t c h technique o f developing l o w - l y i n g and swampy deltaic areas i n t o safe regions able to support a large population w i t h its agriculture, road, r a i l and water transport and industries. A p p a r e n t l y these techniques, starting f r o m the skill o f the polder-makers and the dredgers, and resulting i n modern hydraulics and alluvial civil engineering, are not yet being employed on a sufficiently large scale by other peoples. O f course, the D u t c h b y no means have a monopoly i n this, but by steadily developing their research and science, their hydraulics and t i d a l computations, the engineers f r o m H o l l a n d can still m a i n t a i n their advantage.
Secondly, there is a great demand nowadays for such development activ-ities as reclamation, waterway engineering, drainage and coastal engi-neering, now that many young countries are m a t u r i n g and developing
i n a period w h i c h has appropriately been proclaimed the Development Decade.
T h e opportunities to give advice i n foreign countries have, too, greatly increased w i t h the advent of air travel. N o w i n the jet-age i t is easy to leave one's desk i n H o l l a n d for a while to spend a week or so i n Asia or A f r i c a , and to r e t u r n to n o r m a l duties w i t h very little i n t e r r u p t i o n . I t may be that the D u t c h engineer, coming f r o m a small country, is particularly equipped i n other ways f o r work abroad: he usually has a f a i r knowledge of several languages, is w i l l i n g to collaborate w i t h his foreign coUeagues, and can adapt himself to new and foreign conditions. Finally, so many D u t c h civil engineers may f i n d themselves abroad be-cause " f o r a very small country like the Netherlands 'abroad' is so very large!"
M a y the D u t c h c i v i l engineer, backed by t r a d i t i o n and by the D e l f t science and laboratories, continue to work i n this very large " a b r o a d " and thereby develop both his host-eountry and his o w n skill to the benefit of D u t c h civil engineering.
