1893.1 Mr. Alexander Siemens on Electrical Science. 27 



WEEKLY EVENING MEETING, 

 Friday, February 3, 1893. 



Sir Frederick Abel, K.C.B. D.C.L. F.R.S. Vice-President, 

 in the Chair. 



Alexander Siemens, Esq. M.Inst.C.E. M.B.I. 



Theory and Practice in Electrical Science. 

 (With Experimental Illustrations.} 



When I was requested to give a Friday evening discourse at this 

 Institution, I felt very much honoured at having an opportunity of 

 speaking to an audience that has listened to so many illustrious men 

 of science. At the same time I felt that instead of selecting a purely 

 scientific subject I should be more likely to interest you if I drew 

 your attention to some illustrations of the way in which science is 

 applied to practice. 



The tendency of our century, and especially of the latter half, has 

 been to obliterate ancient distinctions, and to break down barriers 

 which formerly were held to be insurmountable. In this resjDect I 

 need only remind you that at one time, in chemistry, substances were 

 divided into acids and bases, into metals and metalloids, and that 

 until very lately in physics, some gases were classed by themselves 

 as being permanent, and soon. All of these distinctions have been 

 found untenable in the light of modern research, and in a similar 

 manner the strict divisions maintained for a long time between 

 different branches of science have been more and more abolished, so 

 that nowadays anybody who wishes to excel in any one branch of 

 science ought to possess solid knowledge of the principles of all the 

 others. 



One of the most important barriers broken down by the spirit of 

 our times is that formerly held up between science and practice, and 

 the state of mind in which a learned professor once exclaimed about 

 his own particular branch of science : " Thank goodness, there is no 

 practical application of it possible," is more and more forgotten. 

 Instead of that, endeavours are now made on all sides to turn to 

 practical account all scientific investigations. 



While quite admitting that it would give much cause for regret if 

 this tendency were developed too far, so as to interfere with the pro • 

 gress of purely scientific researches, it cannot be denied that the 

 application of scientific principles has brought about that immense 

 progress which is characteristic of the last half-century. A conspicu- 

 ous example of the influence of applied science is furnished by the 

 way the use of electricity has been introduced into our daily life, and 



