SPEECHES AT THE RECENT TYNDALL BANQUET. 665 



would point to the modern ironclad, the most elaborate, the most 

 complete, and the most costly, of all contrivances in which the art of 

 construction has been utilized for purposes of destruction. They 

 would tell you how the chemist, metallurgist, the engineer, the elec- 

 trician, the mathematician, have all contributed their share to that 

 extraordinary result of science and skill. The War-Office would fol- 

 low the Admiralty. They would not say, as Frederick of Prussia did, 

 that Providence is on the side of the biggest battalions, but they 

 might possibly say that Providence was generally on the side of the 

 army which could bring into the field the most scientifically effective 

 weapon in the hands of the most carefully-trained soldier. If I were 

 to turn to the line of business with which I had once something to do, 

 I might ask any diplomatist or any statesman to explain to you how 

 largely the position of Egypt, and, with that, the diplomacy of Europe, 

 has been affected by that little scratch which the genius of M. de Les- 

 seps drew across the Egyptian sands ; and if, as is quite possible, the 

 coal-carrying power of steamers and their speed and their economy are 

 largely increased I do not speak of those wilder predictions accord- 

 ing to which steam is to be superseded as the motor power by some- 

 thing more efficient suppose, I say, the large increase of the coal-carry- 

 ing power of steamers, and the results to which I have referred may 

 be again reversed ; and again, at least in war-time, the route to India 

 may lie through the South African seas. If I speak of the colonies, 

 every one conversant with that department would admit that if we 

 had had the ocean telegraph in existence twenty-five years ago half 

 our little wars beyond the seas would never have taken place, and 

 those that have taken place would have been disposed of in half the 

 time. I know that these things are commonplace, but I can not help 

 that. If I could tell you what the next great discovery was going to 

 be, that would not be commonplace. But, unfortunately, that is not 

 in my power ; and if it were, I do not think I should be in a hurry 

 about it, because I have observed that those who are the first to an- 

 nounce a discovery are generally rewarded by having a remarkably 

 unpleasant time. But however great may be the gains which we have 

 derived from the applications of science, they are nothing as compared 

 with those which will and do accrue to us from the acceptance of sci- 

 entific habits of thought. That is coming already, and it will come 

 more in a not remote future. We have many things in this age and 

 country of which we can not boast, but we may boast that in science 

 England has done something more than hold her own. The great 

 name of Darwin will survive, it may be, the British Empire itself, and 

 with him will be remembered some others also, whom to single out 

 might, perhaps, be invidious. But we may be sure of this, that among 

 their names will be included the name of our distinguished guest of 

 to-night. It is a common complaint that politicians have done nothing 

 for science. In that I do not agree. They have done the best they 



