and
skill in that line. The basis of this skill, of course, lies in a broad
general engineering experience, upon which is built a peculiar knowledge
of a certain, and not infrequently isolated, branch of engineering.
Heating and ventilating engineers are but specialists grown to such
large numbers as to form a definite branch of engineering. Likewise,
automotive engineers are men who have specialized through long years in
this branch. The man who knows more about building dredges, say, than
any other man among his engineering brothers is a man who will be most
frequently sought by industrial powers feeling the need for a dredge,
just as a man suffering eye-strain will seek out the best specialist
known to the medical fraternity. He goes to the one acknowledged
authority in this line, and in doing so but follows a sane inner
dictation.

And that is consulting work. The individual of money who would launch
into manufacturing, knowing nothing of manufacturing, will, after
deciding as to which branch of manufacturing he wishes to follow,
enlist the services of a consulting engineer big by reputation in this
branch. The capitalist may wish to enter the paper-manufacturing field.
Straightway he will put himself in touch with a consulting engineer
whose specialty is paper-manufacturing plants, and, having informed this
man as to the amount of money he is willing to spend on the venture,
together with the location where he wishes, within certain prescribed
limitations, to have his plant stand, may withdraw from the thing, if he
choose, until the plant is built and in operation. The consulting
engineer has done the rest. He has gone out upon location, seeking sites
with an eye to economy both of power and transportation; he has
supervised the design of the plant and the location in the plant of the
necessary machinery; has enlisted the service of a builder whose task it
is to follow these plans from foundation to roof in the work of actual
construction. For this work the consulting engineer receives a fee,
usually based upon a percentage of the cost, and then turns to other
clients--waiting in his outer office--who would enlist his services in a
similar capacity.

The consulting engineer has other sources of revenue. Like the lawyer,
he is frequently retained by traction and lighting interests to guard
the rights of these interests, service for which he receives payment by
the year. His testimony is valued in matters of litig