THE SEMI-CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY 31 



' That the initiation of any new international organization to be maintained 

 by subventions from different states demands careful previous examination into 

 the value and objects of such organizations, and that it is desirable that proposals 

 to establish such organization should be considered by the International Associa- 

 tion of Academies before definite action is taken." 



After a period of activity ranging over about twelve years 

 it may be useful to review the work which has been accom- 

 plished, but I shall confine myself to the record of its section of 

 science, remarking only that the section of letters has also much 

 important work in hand. 



The powers of the association are purely advisory; it has no 

 funds at its disposal and for this reason alone is unable to initiate 

 or support any scientific enterprise unless the individual acad- 

 emies provide the expenditure, as is being done, for instance, in 

 the publication of Leibnitz's works, which has been undertaken 

 by the Academies of Berlin and Paris jointly. A complete map 

 of the moon with its features named according to an agreed 

 scheme is in process of preparation and is welcomed by students 

 of the lunar surface. Among the subjects which have been 

 treated, the excellent work done by an autonomous committee 

 appointed to investigate the functions of the brain should also 

 be referred to; and there are a number of various committees 

 which have done good work. 



In many cases the association has been called upon to express 

 a favorable opinion on the importance of some international 

 scheme which is independently being pressed upon the considera- 

 tion of one or more governments. To deliver a platonic blessing 

 is so gratifying a task that applications for it are not perhaps 

 always scrutinized with sufficient care, though I admit that it 

 is better to support a doubtful enterprise than to risk stopping a 

 good one. 



The association has been most successful when it has used its 

 influence to press important scientific objects on the attention of 

 their governments. It is in part at any rate due to their recom- 

 mendation that money was found for the measurement of the 

 great arc of meridian, which, covering 105 degrees, stretches 



