THE RELATIONSHIP OF MINING TO SCIENCE 617 



laboratory of this kind, if instituted even for the sole purpose 

 of research into such a matter as that of coal-dust explosions, 

 would justify its existence. Accidents such as the recent 

 lamentable explosions both at home and abroad cannot fail to 

 suggest lines upon which investigation might be pursued for 

 some time to come. Does not the question of the spontaneous 

 combustion of coal dust, for example, open up a field of 

 enquiry? 



A word in conclusion as to the commercial aspect of this 

 matter. It is frequently laid to our charge that we in England are 

 slow to adopt the improvements of scientific research. Questions 

 of an abstract nature do not arrest our serious attention until 

 their practical value is clearly demonstrated, and we thus lay 

 ourselves open to an unfavourable comparison with some of 

 our Continental rivals. The Germans, for example, display a 

 remarkable aptitude for seizing upon new theories and 

 inventions, and turning them into practice in a remarkably 

 short time. This is in part, no doubt, due to their different 

 conditions, which compel them to adopt means which, in our 

 own case, are neither so necessary nor so urgent. Pressure 

 of circumstances has thus, for example, made them pioneers in 

 modern coke-making ; and in the application of electricity they 

 also take the lead. In this latter connection it may be of 

 interest to quote a remark made by Mr. Cunyngham some time 

 ago, when referring to the evidence given before the Depart- 

 mental Committee on Electricity, of which he was chairman, 

 to the effect that three-phase systems were being employed 

 in Germany, which were, he believed, " partly invented by an 

 Englishman, developed by a Swiss engineer, and worked out 

 and practically applied by the Germans." 



The moral of this is that no greater mistake can be made 

 than to suppose that because the connection between theory 

 and practice is not immediately self-evident it therefore does 

 not exist. And were modern industry established upon a more 

 scientific basis, it is probable that much of this hesitancy over 

 the application of theory to practice would disappear. The 

 result would be greater efficiency, greater economy in production, 

 and greater ability to sell in the open market in competition 

 with others : all conducive to the maintenance of our position 

 as the leading industrial nation. To quote Principal Griffiths 

 once more : " If we can convince the men of business of this 



