Jacques-Augustin Normand (1839-1906) of Augustin Normand et Cie
Son of Augustin Normand (1792-1871)
1907 Obituary [1]
JACQUES AUGUSTIN NORMAND, who died at his residence at Havre, France, on the 11th December, 1906, was the head of the well-known shipbuilding firm of that name long established at Havre, and a prominent representative of naval architecture in France.
Born in 1839, he succeeded to the direction of the establishment on the death of his father, Augustin Normand, in 1871, and from that time until his death he devoted himself with exceptional vigour and ability to works of design and construction and to scientific research. Uniting high scientific attainments with great mechanical skill, his labours in both spheres of activity were productive of valuable results. All the vessels turned out of the Normand establishment were characterized by scientific excellence of design, but Mr. Normand's reputation was chiefly won in connection with the design and construction of vessels of the torpedo flotilla. In this branch he was the acknowledged leader in France, and the establishment of new types was to a great extent entrusted to the Normand firm by the Ministry of Marine. Step by step progress was made, not merely in the attainment of higher speeds but in securing remarkable economy in coal-consumption, an economy obtained by close study of the design of details in the propelling apparatus and the skilful prevention of waste of steam, as well as by the judicious introduction of new devices and apparatus, many of which originated in Mr. Normand's own fertile brain.
Throughout his career his pen was constantly employed, and notwithstanding his unremitting application to business, he found time to contribute to scientific and technical publications a number of valuable memoirs, among the last of which was his Paper "On the Propulsive Power of Screws necessary to avoid Cavitation," presented to The Institution in 1906. He was a Member of the Academie des Sciences, of the Societe des Ingbnieurs Civils de France, and of the Association Technique Maritime.
A man of large views, Mr. Normand was no believer in professional secrecy, but was always ready to explain and defend the departures which he made. His death was widely regretted by his many friends, not, only in France but in this country, as a great loss to the profession of which he was for so long a distinguished member.
Mr. Normand was elected a Member of The Institution on the 6th December, 1904.
1906 Obituary [2]