616 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



of Science " amongst the mining fraternity, and of forming a 

 link between it and the representative institution of British 

 Science, the suggestion is thrown out that a standing committee 

 composed, in part, of those practically engaged in mining 

 (agents, mine managers, and others), and, in part, of those on 

 the professional or teaching staff of universities and colleges, 

 be formed, which would be representative of the mining 

 community throughout the kingdom. Colonial representatives 

 should also be added. The business of the committee should be 

 to keep in touch with science on the one hand, and with mining 

 on the other, and to see that suitable papers and other matter 

 are brought before the meetings of the British Association. 

 Some such policy as this would, I am inclined to believe, raise 

 the scientific tone of the mining profession, and would, at the 

 same time, further the object for which the British Association 

 exists. 



It is gratifying to observe that the opportunity of emphasising 

 the importance of this inter-relationship between science and 

 the community was not let slip at the recent meeting of the 

 Association. Principal Griffiths, indeed, devoted the concluding 

 portion of his Presidential Address in the Mathematical and 

 Physical Section to the matter. He points out that it is " a 

 national duty to seek out and, when found, utilise the latent 

 scientific ability of the rising generation for the purpose of 

 adding to our stores of natural knowledge," and lays stress 

 upon " the necessity of more free communication between the 

 laboratory and the market-place." * 



It is worthy of note also that on the same day (August ist) 

 that Prof. Ray Lankester was lamenting the lack of interest 

 in science in England, Prof. G. Lippmann, as President of 

 the French Association, was calling the attention of his brother 

 scientists to precisely the same thing. He urges " the need at 

 every factory for a scientific staff provided with research labora- 

 tories." 2 It is worth more than a passing thought whether some 

 such laboratories could not with advantage be instituted at 

 certain of our mining centres, where research work specially 

 appertaining to the particular mining district could be carried 

 out. If such work were then co-ordinated it would prove 

 of considerable value both to science and to mining. A 



1 Nature, August 9, 1906. 

 1 Ibid. August 16, 1906. 



