O PRESIDENT S ADDRESS. 



ixjrtance of scientific research. One of the most efitective means 

 is the organisation of scientific men into associations for the pro- 

 motion of their interests, which are identical with the interests 

 of society as a whole." 



During the past year I accompanied a deputation of Trans- 

 vaal members of Council, who waited upon the Minister of 

 Mines and Industries, with a view to obtaining an annual grant 

 from the Government, so as to place the finances of the Associa- 

 tion on a satisfactory basis. We were courteously and sympa- 

 thetically received, but no grant has so far been forthcoming. 

 We shall try again. 



Now let us leave the painful subject of comparative failure 

 and resume the story of the Johannesburg meeting. In connec- 

 tion with this session, a small loan museum was organised, and 

 this proved so successful that the local Council members formed 

 a Committee, to which was added representatives of the various 

 scientific and technical societies and public bodies. The Associa- 

 tion gave £25 towards the initial expenses, and the Witwaters- 

 rand Council of Education subscribed iioo, but the movement 

 languished for want of funds, and the hopes of the Committee 

 have been doomed to disappointment. Government grants are 

 made to museums at Cape Town, Pretoria, Pietermaritzburg. 

 and Port Elizabeth, but Pretoria, which has a National 

 Museum, is only 35 miles from Johannesburg, and, as there is 

 more than one train a day, it may be thought that the needs of 

 the largest population and of the greatest city in the Union are 

 fully met. The Johannesburg- museum, which is mainly of a 

 gecviogical character, still exists, however, thanks to the gener- 

 osity of the municipality, and there is still some hope that it may 

 emerge as a technological museum vvorthy of the Rand. 



The visit of the members of the British Association for the 

 Advancement of Science to South Africa in 1905 constituted an 

 epoch in the histor};- of our Association. Sectional meetings 

 of the South African Association were not held, these being 

 merged in those of the British Association. A handbook on 

 scientific work and progress in South Africa, entitled " Science 

 in South Africa," was published, under the editorship of Drs. 

 Flint and Gilchrist, in connection with this visit, the South 

 African Governments defraying the cost of publication, while 

 the work of the contributors was entirely voluntary. 



Meetings, at which papers and addresses were read, were 

 held at various centres, and in the words of the British Associa- 

 tion President. Professor Darwin, " the total contribution to 

 science, especiallv as applicable to Africa, has proved to be of 

 considerable magnitude." The^ records of this historic meeting 

 are to be found in four handsome volumes, and it is pleasant to 

 record here the extreme liberality of the various South African 

 ( rtivernments of that day. In addition to providing free railway 

 passes for the officials and visitors, a sum of i6,ooo was guaran- 

 teed towards the cost of their passages. In addition, the Trans- 



