144 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



of the evidence given before Lord Kayleigli's commission or to look to 

 the reports which have been prepared by various bodies of experts for 

 the Executive Committee. 



In electrical matters there are questions relating to the fundamental 

 units on which in Mr. Trotter's opinion we may help the officials of the 

 Board of Trade — standards of capacity are wanted; those belonging 

 to the British Association will be deposited at the Laboratory ; stand- 

 ards of electromagnetic induction are desirable; questions continually 

 arise with regard to new forms of cells other than the standard Clark 

 cell, and in a host of other ways work could be found. Tests on in- 

 sulation resistance were mentioned by Professor Ayrton who gave the 

 result of his own experience. He had asked for wire having a certain 

 standard of insulation resistance. One specimen was eight times as good 

 as the specification; another had only one one-hundred-thousandth of 

 the required insulation ; a third had about one tliree-hundredth. 



Mr. Appleyard again gave some interesting examples, the examina- 

 tion of alloys for use for resistance measurements and other purposes, 

 the testing of various insulating materials and the like. 



I have gone almost too much into detail. It has been my wish to 

 state in general terms the aims of the laboratory, to make the advance 

 of physical science more readily available for the needs of the nation 

 and then to illustrate the Avay in which it is intended to attain those 

 aims: I trust I may have shown that the National Physical Laboratory 

 is an institution which may deservedly claim the cordial support of all 

 who are interested in real progress. 



