Society of Public Analysts 103 



a result, many hundreds of highly-trained chemists were to a great 

 extent wasted by being put to military duties which could easily 

 have been performed by men whose normal activities were of no 

 special value to a nation at war. 



This State of affairs lasted until a few months ago, when the 

 authorities apparently began to appreciate the facts of the Situation, 

 and the Board of Trade issued a circular of instructions to local 

 tribunals under Lord Derby's Scheine, together with a " list of occu- 

 pations (reserved occupations) of cardinal importance for the 

 maintenance of some other branches of trade and industry." Since 

 then the Board of Trade has issued a further schedule of " reserved 

 occupations," in which occurs the following important paragraph: 

 "Chemists: Analytical, Consulting Research Chemists (not to be 

 accepted for immediate enlistment or called up for service with the 

 Colours without the consent of the Royal Society) ; Chemical 

 Laboratories : Head Laboratory Attendants." 



It will have been noticed that chemists are not only not to be en- 

 listed, but are not allowed to enlist without the express permission 

 of a recognised body, the only other persons in the schedule who are 

 treated similarly being " licensed pilots, ofificers, and crews of ves- 

 sels belonging to the General Lighthouse Authorities, and light- 

 house-keepers " — that is to say, men whose Services are absolutely 

 essential for the public safety. 



This is one of the signs of public recognition to which I referred 

 at the commencement of my remarks, and there are indications that 

 others will be forthcoming. It only remains in this connection to 

 say that the President of the Royal Society has appointed a com- 

 mittee to assist the Royal Society in connection with matters relat- 

 ing to recruiting, and that, as President of this Society, I have been 

 invited to serve on that body. 



During the past eighteen months the columns of the technical 

 and of the general press have been inundated with letters and with 

 articles bewailing the neglect of chemical science in this country, 

 and deploring the want of appreciation of the Services of chemists 

 so often shown by manufacturers. 



That we have shamefully neglected the claims of science is a 

 fact of which many of us have been painfully aware for a good 



