372 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



FOREIGN ASSOCIATES OF NATIONAL SOCIETIES 



Br Professor EDWARD C. PICKERING 



HARVARD COLLEGE OBSERVATORY 



MEMBERSHIP in societies is, in general, a poor test of the quali- 

 fications of a scientific man. The case is very different, how- 

 ever, if we consider only the foreign associates of the principal national 

 societies or academies of the world. Their organization differs in 

 different cases, but, in general, each is divided into several sections, of 

 which that relating to the physical and natural sciences will alone be 

 considered here. The members are divided into two or more classes 

 which are called by various names. First, resident members, who live 

 in the vicinity, pay fees and practically own the society. Secondly, 

 foreign associates, who, as they have few duties or rights, and as the 

 position is a purely honorary one, are selected wholly for eminence in 

 a particular science. Their number is generally limited and on the 

 death of one, a typical method of selecting a successor would be as 

 follows : The matter would first be referred to a committee of resident 

 members in the same department of science. These specialists would 

 report one or more candidates, and the final selection would be made 

 by the entire body of resident members. Doubtless injustice may be 

 done in individual cases, but it is hardly possible that an unworthy 

 person could secure membership in many foreign countries. It is 

 sometimes stated by those unfamiliar with the facts, that a candidate 

 can not be elected without personal effort on his own part. This is 

 incorrect, as to my personal knowledge in at least half a dozen cases 

 the notice of his election was the first intimation a candidiate had 

 that his name was under consideration. It is possible that, in some 

 cases, a candidate may have aided his election, but it would be a dan- 

 gerous experiment, as many persons would vote against him for this 

 reason only. 



Ten countries, not including colonies, have a population of more 

 than twenty millions : China, 432,000,000 ; Russia, 146,800,000 ; United 

 States, 86,400,000; German Empire, 60,600,000; Japan, 49,700,000; 

 Austro-Hungarian Empire, 47,000,000; Great Britain, 41,500,000; 

 France, 39,000,000; Italy, 32,500,000; Congo Free State, 30,000,000. 

 The population of Brazil is 19,900,000; of Spain, 18,900,000; of 

 Mexico, 13,600,000. Omitting these, and China, Japan and the 

 Congo Free State, we have the seven great nations of the world. The 

 national or principal scientific societies of each of these countries is 



