MAJORITY REPORT OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON 



CHEMISTRY. 



To the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Institution. 



Gentlemen : The Advisory Committee on Chemistry appointed 

 by you, consisting of the undersigned, have given their earnest 

 attention to the subject submitted to them. They have kept 

 clearly in mind that the main object of the Institution is to 

 encourage original research. The problem is to determine what 

 methods of expending money will be most likely to accomplish 

 this main object. 



In the first place, it appears clear to your committee that, so far 

 as Chemistry is concerned, the most valuable researches are to be 

 looked for in the universities, colleges, and technical schools. 

 While they are well aware that researches in the field of Chem- 

 istry are carried on in other laboratories than those of the univer- 

 sities,* they are of the opinion that the universitj' atmosphere is 

 the most favorable for such work, and, as a matter of fact, for 

 many years past the advancement of Chemistry has been largely 

 due to the work done in university laboratories. We must, then, 

 look to the universities for the men and for the conditions if our 

 object is to further original research. Anything that will tend to 

 increase the efficiency of the men already engaged in research work 

 will be helpful. This efficiency can be increased in two ways : 



(i.) By relieving the men from a part of the routine work they 

 are now doing. 



(2.) By placing research assistants at their disposal, and bj^ sup- 

 plying them with books, apparatus, and material. 



The committee agree that the second way would undoubtedly 

 lead to good results if followed carefully. They do not agree that 

 it would be wise to follow the first way, at least with the aid of 

 funds furnished by the Carnegie Institution. 



In accordance with these general ideas, the committee agree upon 

 the following articles of belief : 



I . The best research work is likely to be done under the auspices 

 of the universities. 



* 111 this report the term university is used in the larger sense, as including 

 all educational institutions in which research work is carried on. 



(83) 



