4 66 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



To the delegates of Corresponding Societies, Sir Thomas 

 Holland also had much to say on the subject of the organisation 

 of science. Science has won for itself a place equal to that of 

 literature in academic culture, but our success has been very 

 limited in getting the professors of pure science to co-operate 

 in unison with the captains of industry, who depend entirely, 

 consciously or otherwise, on the application of scientific laws 

 to industrial problems. Our universities as well as our scientific 

 and technical societies suffer from a lack of co-ordination and 

 from overlapping and conflicting interests. They are, more- 

 over, largely dependent on private charity and a satisfactory 

 state can only be obtained when the Government, recognising 

 the national value of their work, takes in hand their reorganisa- 

 tion and financial support. 



In the address to the Section of Mathematics and Physics 

 (A), Sir F. W. Dyson lifted his hearers out of the realm of human 

 warfare into the mysteries of the " island universe." The 

 whole field of astronomy was passed in review and the rapid 

 progress which is being made in the collection, classification, and 

 explanation of our knowledge of stellar data was admirably 

 stated. The president pointed out objections to some recent 

 conclusions and indicated the scope of the work at present 

 engaging the attention of the observatories of the world. Our 

 present and prospective knowledge of the stellar system, if sup- 

 plemented by constant attempts at interpretation, will enable 

 us to proceed to the dynamical and physical study of the history 

 and evolution of the universe. 



Prof. Bone delivered a highly important address to the 

 Chemical Section (B) on gaseous combustion and the economical 

 use of fuel. The president outlined the recent advances in our 

 knowledge of ignition phenomena and the negative results found 

 for Sir J.J. Thomson's suggestion as to the potency of electronic 

 ionisation in such phenomena. The valuable work of Prof. 

 Dixon at Manchester and of Dr. Wheeler at Easkmeals was re- 

 viewed and a plea for wider academic training in gas anatysis 

 and research on coal and combustion was preferred. The 

 scientific utilisation of fuel has not received the attention which 

 it thoroughly merits, if only from the economic standpoint. The 

 wasteful beehive coke ovens are disappearing, but the Govern- 

 ment ought to fix a time-limit. Enlightened chemical control 

 of gas works and metallurgical fuel-consuming works has led 



