1865—1870 157 



Important news came from Paris to Pasteur in July, and on 

 'the 27th he was able to write to Raulin: ''The building of my 

 laboratory is going to be begun ! the orders are given, and the 

 money found. I heard this two days ago from the Minister.'* 

 30,000 francs had been allowed for the work by the Minister 

 of Public Instruction, and an equal sum was promised by the 

 Minister of the Emperor's household. Duruy wa? preparing 

 at the same time a report on two projected decrees concerning 

 laboratories for teaching purposes and for research. "The 

 laboratory for research," wrote Duruy, ''will not be useful to 

 the master alone, but more so even to the students, thus ensur- 

 ing the future progress of science. Students already pro- 

 vided with extensive theoretical knowledge will be initiated in 

 the teaching laboratories into the handling of instruments, 

 elementary manipulations, and what I may call classical prac- 

 tice ; this will gather them around eminent masters, from whom 

 they will learn the art of observation and methods of experi- 

 ment. ... It is with similar institutions that Germany has 

 succeeded in obtaining the great development of experimental 

 science which we are now watching with an anxious 

 sympathy. ' ' 



Pasteur returned to Paris with his enthusiastic mind over- 

 flowing with plans of all kinds of research. He wanted to be 

 there when the builders began their work on the narrow space 

 in the Rue d'Ulm. He wrote to Raulin on August 10, asking 

 his opinion as he would that of an architect ; then went on to 

 say, planning out his busy holidays: '*I shall leave Paris on 

 the 16th with my wife and children to spend three weeks at 

 the seaside, at St. George's, near Bordeaux. If you were free 

 at the end of the month, or at the beginning of September, I 

 wish you could accompany me to Toulon, where experiments 

 on the heating of wines will be made by the Minister of the 

 Navy. Great quantities of heated and of non-heated wine are 

 to be sent to Gabon so as to test the process; at present our 

 colonial crews have to drink mere vinegar. A commission of 

 very enlightened men is formed and has begun studies with 

 which it seems satisfied. . . . See if you can join me at Bor- 

 deaux, where I shall await a notice from the chairman of the 

 Commission, M. de Lapparent, director of naval construction 

 at the Ministry of Marine." 



The Commission mentioned by Pasteur had been considering 

 for the last two years the expediency of applyinir the hP8tin<? 



