20 PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS SECTION A. 



research institution to collaborate with similar institutions which 

 are or may be established iiiGreat Britain and her Dominions. 



4. J'u nominate a central committee for dcalino- with the 

 suljjcct in its various branches, with sjiecial reference to the 

 needs of South Africa. 



5. To collect, co-ordinate, and (listri])ute information for 

 furthering the objects in view. 



The Council Members of all scientitic and technical societies 

 in the Union and Rhodesia form a general committee, and a 

 central committee has been formed consisting of three represen- 

 tatives from each society. Messrs. Innes, Burtt-Davy. and 

 myself have been appointed to represent this Association, and 

 Mr. Innes has been elected to the Executive. 



The Government of the Union has been severely criticised 

 recently for its inaction in this important national matter. It 

 may not be generally known, but I learn on reliable authority that 

 at last the Government is becoming alive to the interests of this 

 country as far as scientific and industrial research is concerned, 

 and realises the urgent necessity of immediate action. I 

 believe the secretariat has already been appointed to collect and 

 co-ordinate all available information with regard to possible new 

 industries. 



It is to be hoped, however, that the Technical Societies Com- 

 mittee will not be dissolved, but will continue to act in a technical 

 and advisory capacity, even if all executive authority, as it stands 

 at present, is left to the Department of Mines and Industries. 



It is exceedingly gratifying to observe in this the lirst real 

 attempt to deal on a national scale with science as relating to 

 industry in South Africa. 



Apart from the war itself, there is no more important ques- 

 tion confronting us at the moment than the industrial develop- 

 ment of this countrv. As this subject is being dealt with in a 

 paper to be read before this section, I will confine my remarks to 

 the f[uestions of the available sources of energy for power pro- 

 duction and economy in fuel ; since the cost of power is indis- 

 solubly related to the cost of manufacture atid industrial ad- 

 vancement. 



Considering the joossible and actual sources of energ}- these 

 might be classified as follows : — 



So lire rs of energy. 



{Food of animals. 

 Fuels: Solid, liquid, and gaseous. 

 Water above sea-level. 

 Winds. 

 Ocean C urrcnts. 



Internal heat of the earth. 

 Rock-masses at high level. 

 Uncomhined iron, sulphur, etc. 



I have not included such sources of energy as the energy of 

 the atom and of radium, and the truly unthinkable amount of 



