LII THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
Much attention is directed at present to the conservation of 
resources with a view to preventing direct waste; but there is an indirect 
waste which can only be met by scientific discovery, as in the case of 
coal, only a very small percentage of the energy contained in which is 
utilized in the best steam engines. It may be that further sources of 
energy may be rendered available, such as the vast store contained in 
the atom, but this is at present beyond the resources of science. These 
are but two of the many problems which make progress in science a 
very important practical question. 
In promoting the progress, universities can do and have done 
much. In them are associated men versed in various sciences and in 
close touch with one another. In teaching they are compelled to 
discuss and analyse principles in order to meet the difficulties of the 
learner, and thereby they have their minds directed to the abstract 
side of their sciences. They are surrounded by an atmosphere favorable 
to original thought, apparatus is at hand for their researches and, best 
of all, the popular standard of efficiency, that dollar must be returned 
for dollar spent, is not applied to them in its full rigour. 
While there are very many lines of research in which the univer- 
sities can do most valuable work, there are other lines which are better 
provided for otherwise, especially those which call for long continued 
collection of data, or those which cannot be carried on in one place. 
Examples of these are astronomy, meteorology, geology and geodesy. 
Governments have long recognized their duty to provide for the 
carrying on of investigations in these sciences, and the duty has; in 
general, been well and liberally performed. Much also has been done 
by private munificence as in the founding of astronomical observatories 
and of scientific institutions. Of this there are many notable instances. 
Good service can be done by those who have the direction of 
scientific institutions of any kind, or of field investigations having 
scientific bearings, by assisting and encouraging those who have a bent 
for investigation, by affording them facilities for their researches such 
as books and instruments, and by aiding them to bring their work 
before the public, resisting at the same time the demand which often 
comes from outside for results not fully matured. There is also a false 
economy, which is unfortunately rather prevalent, which calls for work 
of quality just sufficient to serve the immediate and ephemeral purpose. 
Additional expenditure, of trifling amount, is often all that is required 
to turn the scale and make the results of permanent value. Even when 
the work is directed to a purely utilitarian end, the putting of what 
may be called a scientific finish upon it, like the architectural embellish- 
ment of a building, is a gratification to the æsthetic sense of those 
