4 Transactions of the Royal Canadian Institute 



be made; but Henry Cavendish, speaking from behind a hydrogen jar, 

 merely said: "Why do you bother me with this?" 



Another story is that when a very distinguished colleague was visiting 

 him his housekeeper reminded him that he should entertain his guest at 

 dinner. His own habitual meal was a piece of mutton and a roll, and he 

 replied: "Why, order two pieces." (Laughter.) 



I assure you that if I had the knowledge and capacity to have thought 

 out any portion of those problems to which he made such invaluable 

 contributions, I should not have kept them entirely to myself. But I 

 can further assure you that although I am not myself capable of making 

 any useful or practical contribution to research those who have devoted 

 their time to this great work may be sure of any assistance which I can 

 possibly render. (Applause.) 



The Transactions of the Royal Canadian Institute contain 

 many important contributions to research. They constitute a store of 

 valuable information relating to a great variety of subjects. Where 

 there are so many notable contributions it might be invidious to mention 

 names, but certainly the Inaugural Addresses of the President and his 

 predecessors in office are a striking and eloquent testimony to the 

 importance which the Institute attaches to the inexhaustible field of 

 research. To those who may not be well informed as to recent develop- 

 ments I can suggest no better course of study than that they should make 

 a close perusal of these addresses. They illustrate different points of 

 view but are all interesting, practical and suggestive. 



For my purpose this evening I hope that you will understand that 

 while I must inevitably appear to lay greater stress on the practical and 

 commercial aspect of the problem, I wish to emphasize as strongly as 

 possible the importance and value of research for its own sake and to 

 make use of the word in its most extended application. 



I know that I have achieved a certain amount of reputation through- 

 out Canada as being an optimist, but I hope that it is not altogether 

 that of a blind optimist. Without being too optimistic, I hope there is 

 at any rate some justification for taking a more sanguine view than would 

 have been possible a few years ago. You may feel that progress is slow, 

 yet I cannot help feeling that a certain amount of substantial progress 

 has been made. Various causes have, no doubt, contributed to such 

 progress ; but we must always bear in mind that events move slowly and 

 that so far only beginnings have been made. 



It may not be out of place to remind you as an instance of slowness 

 of progress, perhaps also as an instance of sureness of progress, that it 

 was as long ago as the year 1870 that a Royal Commission was appointed 

 in England, over which it so happened that my grandfather, the seventh 



