4532 Mr. William S. Bruce [Feb. 12, 



referred to the Oceanographical Institutes of Berlin and Tokyo. 

 In Britain the only two Institutions that could be compared with 

 these were in Edinburgh, namely. Villa ^ledusa, where the late 

 Sir John ^Murray concentrated his best efforts, and the Scottish 

 Oceanographical liaboratory, with which several oceanographical 

 expeditions have been associated. Dr. Bruce pointed out that, as 

 soon as more propitious times returned, it was intended to establish 

 in Edinburgh an Oceanographical Institute of Imperial importance. 

 The Forth and Clyde area had been the cradle of oceanographical 

 research since the dispatch of the "Challenger." The importance 

 of this area for an Oceanographical Institute was emphasized by 

 the stupendous naval base developing at Rosyth, and the practical 

 certainty of the cutting of a great Forth and Clyde Ship Canal 

 which would be the most direct east and west highway between 

 Northern Europe and America, including the Panama Canal, and 

 which offered a magnificent access both by the Forth and Clyde. 

 He had been told that in naval affairs science was at a discount at 

 present, and that only those who could fight were required But 

 modern fighting more than ever depended on the application of the 

 most intricate scientific research, physical and biological. It was our 

 physicist and mathematician who guided the head and hand, not only 

 of the gunmaker, but also the shipbuilder in building the very ships 

 and turrets upon which the guns were borne, while the explosives 

 used were the outcome of the work of the chemist in his laboratory. 

 Our knowledge of the drift of mines was due to much careful work 

 by men of science, while the bacteriologist had reduced mortality 

 from wounds and disease to a minimum, and thus increased the 

 power of the very fighters themselves. It was, therefore, very 

 appropriate to establish such an Oceanographical Institute in the 

 Forth and Clyde area. 



Referring to ocean meteorology, the importance of the work of 

 Mr. R. C. Mossman was dwelt upon by the lecturer, showing how 

 climatic conditions in one part of the world were related to those 

 of another, owing to certain " centres of action " of high and low 

 pressure. Dr. Bruce also reviewed magnetic work at sea, from 

 Columbus' discovery of the line of " no variation," Scoresby's mag- 

 netic voyage, and, finally, to the work of the magnificently equipped 

 yacht '' Carnegie." 



Having thus summarized the general features of oceanography, 

 he dwelt specially upon Polar oceanographical work. The researches 

 of James Murray, Bartlett, and Mackinlay on the ill-fated "Karluk " 

 he considered stood out as one of the best pieces of oceanographical 

 work that had been done in the Arctic seas, and told a tale which, 

 but for the tragedy of the war, would have thrilled the world with 

 its story of devotion and heroism in the quest for adding to the 

 sum of human knowledge. Tiie observations eliminated the possi- 

 bility of land to the north of Alaska, and included the extension of 



