To my mind, transportation engineering is similar to flying in the 1930s — it has been about for some time but it has taken the present economic jolt to shake it out of its infancy, in the same way that the war started the development of flying to its current stage.

He was but shabbily apparelled in faded jacket and patched trowsers; a rag of a black handkerchief investing his neck.

In mid-December …, the French succeeded in storming the half-ruined outwork of the St Laurent lunette and advancing to a position immediately beneath the walls with their breaching batteries.

I'm not happy with this contract. There are too many ifs and buts.