S62 Professor Arthur Schuster [May 18, 



and computing bureaux cif the Solar Union are situated in this country, 

 and if we have secured an even larger share of the onerous but honour- 

 able duties incumbent on such offices, the fault is our own. The 

 questions which at the present moment more especially require combined 

 treatment are those of Geo-Physics, a subject for which very inadequate 

 provision has been made in England. Our earthquake observations 

 almost entirely depend on the self-devotion of one man, and the 

 Meteorological Office, which might reasonably be expected to take 

 charge of certain portions of the work such as atmospheric electricity, 

 being kept in a state of chronic poverty, must restrict its activity to 

 work of the most pressing necessity. Germany, on the other hand, 

 having a large number of well equipped stations for geodetic, magnetic, 

 and aeronautic w^ork, naturally reaps the reward when the offices of 

 an International undertaking have to be chosen which shall be attached 

 to flourishing institutions in charge of men possessing the leisure and 

 qualifications for the Avork. 



No serious advance will be made in our own country in this respect 

 until our universities pay more attention to the subject of terrestrial 

 physics. This would involve the establishment by the universities of 

 separate laboratories or institutions, to which their present funds could 

 not be applied. The matter wants consideration in detail and should 

 be carried out according to a homogeneous scheme which would prevent 

 wasteful repetition in different places. But I feel certain that until 

 we have trained up a number of students who possess an adequate 

 knowledge of questions of meteorology, geodetics, terrestrial magnet- 

 ism, and seismology, the position which this country will take in 

 international organisation cannot be a leading one, though it may be, 

 and, indeed, owing to private efforts, is at the present moment, one 

 of which we need not be ashamed. 



Finally I must lay stress on one aspect of the question which I hope 

 may induce us to attach still greater importance to international under- 

 takings. The co-operation of different nations in the joint investiga- 

 tion of the constitution of the terrestrial globe, of the phenomena 

 which take place at its surface, and of the celestial bodies which 

 shine equally upon all, directs attention to our common interests 

 and exposes the artificial nature of political boundaries. The meet- 

 ings in common discussion of earnest workers in the fields of knowledge 

 tend to obliterate the superficial distinctions of manner and outward 

 bearing which so often get exaggerated until they are mistakeii for 

 deep-seated national characteristics. 



I am afraid I have only given a very inadequate account of the 

 serious interests which are already involved in international scientific 

 investigations. But if I may point once more to Indian meteorology 

 and insist on the vital importance of an effective study of the conditions 

 which rule the monsoon, everyone will I think, realise how im])ossible 

 it is to separate scientific from national interests. The solution of this 

 particular problem requires an intimate co-operation with Central Asia 



