1901.] on the Aims of the National Physical Laboratory. 657 



member of Lord Bayleigh's committee, and as such was convinced of 

 the need for the Laboratory and of the importance of the work it 

 could do. He took an active part in its organisation, sparing neither 

 time nor trouble ; he intended that it should be a great institution, 

 and he had the will and the power to help. The country is the 

 poorer by his sudden death. 



Let me now quote some of Sir Douglas Galton's evidence. 

 " Formerly our progress in machinery," he says, " was due to accu- 

 racy of measurement, and that was a class of work which could be 

 done, as Whitworth showed, by an educated eye and educated touch. 

 But as we advance in the applications of science to industry we 

 require accuracy to be carried into matters which cannot be so 

 measured. ... In the more delicate researches which the physical, 

 chemical and electrical student undertakes, he requires a ready means 

 of access to standards to enable him to compare his own work with 

 that of others." Or again, " My view is that if Great Britain is to 

 retain its industrial supremacy we must have accurate standards 

 available to our research students and to our manufacturers. I am 

 certain that if you had them our manufacturers would gradually 

 become very much more qualified for advancing our manufacturing 

 industry than they are now. But it is also certain that you cannot 

 separate some research from a standardising department." Then, 

 after a description of the Beichsanstalt, he continues, " What I would 

 advocate would be an extension of Kew in the direction of the second 

 division of the Beichsanstalt, with such auxiliary research in the 

 establishment itself as may be found necessary." The second divi- 

 sion is the one which takes charge of technical and industrial 

 questions. Professor Lodge, again, gave a very valuable summary of 

 work which ought to be done. 



It is now realised, at any rate by the more enlightened of our 

 leaders of industry, that science can help them. This fact, however, 

 has been grasped by too few in England ; our rivals in Germany and 

 America know it well, and the first aim of the Laboratory is to bring 

 its truth home to all, to assist in promoting a union which is 

 certainly necessary if England is to retain her supremacy in trade 

 and in manufacture, to make the forces of science available for the 

 nation, to break down by every possible means the barrier between 

 theory and practice, and to point out plainly the plan which must be 

 followed unless we are prepared to see our rivals take our place. 



" Germany," an American writer who has recently made a study 

 of the subject has said, " is rapidly moving towards industrial 

 supremacy in Europe. One of the most potent factors in this 

 notable advance is the perfected alliance between science and 

 commerce existing in Germany. Science has come to be regarded 

 there as a commercial factor. If England is losing her supremacy 

 in manufactures and in commerce, as many claim, it is because of 

 English conservatism and the failure to utilise to the fullest extent 

 the lessons taught by science, while Germany, once the country of 

 Vol. XVI. (No. 95.) 2 x 



