5. Basic English
and the British Standards Institution

The example to which we now come is of interest less for its material than because it lets us see Basic at work in a field where clear statement is specially important. What the British Standards Institution is, and to what use Basic was put by it is given under this, and it seems unnecessary to say that such a use by such a body is something for the supporters of Basic to be very pleased about.
    Only a small part of the 'specification' is here given, because it has, naturally, to go into a great amount of very dry detail, which not only does not make interesting reading but which is not readily taken in without the help of pictures and tables which would be out of place here. In such work the writer will certainly be free to make use of the General Science List together with any Special Science List having a connection with his material, and of all international science words. In addition to about ten of these, there are, in the bit here given, five or six more science words, which are listed with their senses at the end.

The following is an extract from the aims and objects of
the British Standards Institution:



STANDARD ENGLISH AIMS AND OBJECTS		BASIC ENGLISH PURPOSES
The British Standards Institution is the national organization for the promulgation of British Standard terms, definitions, codes of practice and specifications for materials, articles, etc., and methods of test. It is governed by a General Council, the constitution of which is given on page 2. The underlying principles covering the preparation of British Standards are: that they shall be in accordance with the needs of industry and fulfill a generally recognised want; that the interests of both producer and consumer shall be considered; that periodic review shall be undertaken.		The British Standards Institution is the organization in this country for making public British Standard words, the senses in which they are to be used, systems for working, and details for materials, goods, and so on, and ways of testing. It is controlled by a General Council the structure of which is given on page 2. The guiding rules for framing British Standards are: that they are to be in agreement with the needs of industry while meeting those of the general public, that the interests of producer and user are to be taken into account, that from time to time any necessary adjustments are to be made.


A translation of the British Standard Portland Cement Specification (B.S. 12:1940) will be available shortly, price 2s. The British Standards Institution is in debt to the Orthological Institute for putting this specification into Basic English. This is the first example of a British Standard printed in Basic. It gives all the facts and noting has been cut out or changed.

                            B.S. 12:1940 (Basic)
BRITISH STANDARD SPECIFICATION ¹
FOR
COMMON PORTLAND AND
RAPID-HARDENING PORTLAND CEMENTS

NOTE. The name 'rapid-hardening' is used in this specification because it has become the common name in Britain. It is the equivalent of 'high early strength,' which is used in other countries, and it is not the same as 'quick-setting.' It will be seen from section 12 that rapid-hardening cement (if not specially requested) is not quick-setting.

Composition of Cement and Method of Making

1.       The cement, common or rapid-hardening, is to be made by mixing well together substances having calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) in them, such as chalk, and substances having silica (SiO₂), alumina (Al₂O₃), and iron oxide (Fe₂O₂) in them, such as clay, then heating them to a clinkering temperature and crushing the clinker into powder so that a cement in agreement with this specification is produced.
No addition of any substance is to be made after heating other than calcium sulphate (CaSO₄), or water, or the two together. ²


1. Words whose sense is given in the 'special word list' at the end are put in sloping print the first time they are used.
2. No cement which has an addition of slag or which is a mixture of Portland cement and slag, is to be taken as covered by this specification. For a specification of cement with slag in it, see B.S. 146 'Portland blast-furnace cement'.

Specimens for Testing and by Whom to Be Taken

2.       A specimen or specimens for testing may be taken by the person who has given the order for the cement or his representative, or by any person who has been put in control of the works for the purpose of which the cement is needed, or by his representative, or by any expert analyst under the direction of the person giving the order or by his representative, or by any person in control of the works or by his representative.

Specimens for Testing and How to Be Taken

3.       A specimen for testing is to be a mixture of equal amounts, as near as possible, taken from at least 12 different positions in the mass or masses when the cement is loose, or from not less than 12 bags, casks, or other parcels when the cement is not loose, or where there is a smaller number than 12 different bags, casks, or other parcels, then from every bag, cask, or other parcel. All possible care is to be taken in the selection, so that a representative specimen is taken. The weight of the specimens when complete is to be at least 10 Lb. (4.54 kg.).

Taking Specimens of Great Amounts

4.       When specimens are to be taken of more than 250 tons (560,000 pounds -- 254,0l2 kg.) of cement at one time, separate specimens are to be taken by the method given in section 3, from every 250 tons or part of such amount.
The cement is to be stored in units of not more than 250 tons, these units being kept separate from one another so that specimens may be taken from them by the method given in this section and section 3. If more than 250 tons are kept in one store, every 250 tons or part of 250 tons is to be kept separate, so that specimens may be taken at different places from every specimen.³


3. As there are stores in existence which take more than 250 tons, and in which it would not be possible to put divisions without danger to the structure, specimens may he taken from such stores if the person ordering, or his representative, gives his agreement and is certain that a good and representative specimen may be taken of every 250 tons put into the store. Such specimens may be taken from holes made for this purpose in the walls of the store, or may be taken by an automatic apparatus at the point where the cement is put into the store.
    In the event of any such specimen of a 250 ton unit not being in agreement wit this specification, the person ordering or his representative may say he will not take cement from any part of the store from which the specimen came. Whenever possible, however, every 250-ton unit is to be kept separate.

Taking and Marking Specimens

5.       The supplier ⁴ is to give the person taking the specimens for testing, men and materials for taking them, putting them into bags, and marking them, together with any other help which is necessary.


4. 'The 'supplier' in this specification is the trader, who may or may not be the maker of the cement.

Payment for Tests, Analyses, and Specimens

6.       The payment for the tests and analyses given in sections 7 to 13, but not in section 15, will be made by the person ordering the cement if there are no special conditions about this in the agreement between the person ordering the cement and the supplier, but no payment is to be made to the supplier for the cement used for specimens or for the carriage of them.

Tests

7.       The specimen or specimens are to be tested by the methods given under for:


a. Screen analysis
b. Chemical composition
c. Strength
d. Setting time
e. Maximum expansion


Screen Analysis

8.       One puts 100 g. (or say 4 ounces) of cement onto a B.S. Laboratory Test Screen Number 170, shaking it continuously for 15 minutes.

SPECIAL WORD LIST

specification	detailed account of bow something is to be made and what properties it is necessary for it to have
rapid-hardening	becoming hard very quickly, as against 'quick-setting,' which is 'starting to become solid very quickly'
setting	(of cement) early stage in the process of becoming hard
clinker	mass of hard unburned material formed in the process of burning the materials to make cement
analyst	person doing an analysis (International word)
cask	great, round, flat-ended, wood vessel
clinkering	forming clinker
slag	hard stone material from iron works

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