8 president's address. 



arranged in order of merit we have not got far down it when 

 we find that we have parted company with scientific research. 

 Indeed, the Hbraries that cater for anyone else than the so-called 

 "general reader" are exceedingly few in number: co-operation 

 is thus at least as necessary as in the case of museums. This 

 is especially true in regard to scientific journals and the publi- 

 cations of scientific societies. The number of these is nov/a- 

 days so great that a long purse is necessary for the maintenance 

 of a complete collection : but by neglecting co-operation we 

 make matters worse than they need be. Here in Capetown, 

 for example, we have four or five libraries that purchase scien- 

 tific serials, and, though the libraries are within short distances 

 of one another, duplicate and triplicate copies of some journals 

 are to be found on their tables, while other journals equally 

 important are neglected by them all. The time surely cannot be 

 far distant when this will be rectified, when too the importance 

 of such reference-libraries will be better appreciated by the 

 State, and when the South African Public Library, having its 

 special annual grant for reference-books restored to it, will 

 take the lead in a scheme of co-operation calculated to meet the 

 wants of all engaged in scientific or literary research. 



When thus dealing with the functions of Universities, 

 Museums, and Libraries, I have been in a manner viewing the 

 State as an educationist. I now wish in the same way to 

 invite your attention to the State as a landlord. With an 

 extensive and varied property calling for development, one of 

 the first and most urgent duties is to have it surveyed and 

 inventoried under every needful heading. In the first place, it 

 must be accurately mapped; in the second place, its surface 

 constituents and rock-formations must be ascertained and 

 registered; in the third place, the animal life of every district 

 must be put on record; in the fourth place, the same must be 

 done with its plant life; and, lastly, its water supply, rainfall, 

 and other climatic factors must be observed and tabulated. 

 There thus arise as necessary scientific departments of the 

 State's work — the Topographical, Geological, Zoological, 

 Botanical, and Meteorological. The fact that some of these 

 subjects are incidentally dealt with by college lecturers and 

 private students is no satisfactory reason for negligence on the 

 part of the State. All such outside aid, it must be remembered, 

 is subject to the uncertainties of personal liking, fashion, and 

 caprice ; and consequently is in its nature fitful and unreliable in 

 an emergency. Besides, much of the work wanted to be done 

 requires continuous attention over long periods, so that effi- 

 ciency can only be secured by the existence of a permanent 

 staff. It would be unwise, of course, in organizing such 

 Government Departments to neglect consideration of the 

 amount of outside work that might be reckoned on : what is 

 urged is simply that such Departments ought to exist, be they 

 great or be they small. When, with this in mind, we turn the 

 searchlight on ourselves it might at first sight appear that though 

 separate Government Departments do not exist in Cape Colony 

 for Topography, Geology, Zoology, Botany, and Meteor- 



