150 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VOL. XI 
under the control of the Universities and that it should be fostered and 
supported by grants of money from the Dominion Treasury directly to 
them. 
It must be remembered, however, that the functions of the Univer- 
sities are primarily educational, and that by the British North America 
Act matters relating to education are not by any means national in 
their scope, but as to upkeep, control and direction belong particularly 
to the individual Provinces. The Universities as I have stated are 
especially concerned with the literary, scientific, technical and artistic 
training of our young men and women. It is true, generally speaking, 
that the best and most efficient teachers are those who carry on investi- 
gative work or direct researches. Such activities give life and vigour 
to the teaching and serve as a great inspiration to the students. It is 
also true, however, that the educational aspect of university work im- 
poses definite limits both as to the time available for research and to 
the character of the researches, especially the experimental ones, which 
can be undertaken with reasonable prospects of a successful issue. In 
Universities the problems attacked are generally speaking of fundamental 
or academic interest. They are such as can be solved by work carried 
on at intervals, or such, especially those in which students co-operate, 
as can through their results be used for the attainment of academic 
standing or the acquisition of University degrees. Problems of a secret 
or private nature cannot be conveniently worked out in University 
Laboratories. In the first place it is difficult to maintain secrecy in 
such institutions, and in the second place the solution of secret problems 
in University Laboratories is not desirable on account of the lack of 
harmony in the staff which it is likely to engender, and on account of 
the need therein for a high minded and lofty scientific spirit which it 
would inevitably tend to suppress or at least fail to develop. 
Moreover it is doubtful if in a democracy such as our own, public 
funds should be used either directly or indirectly for work of this char- 
acter. At the same time there seems to be no reason why the Dominion 
Government should not subsidise research work by grants made directly 
to members of the stafis of the Universities for researches which are of 
a public character and are for the public good. Such researches could, 
with the approval of the authorities concerned, be carried out in Univer- 
sity laboratories, for with the conditions at present existing, these and 
the apparatus in them, are available for a considerable time each year. 
It would seem to be desirable and advisable in the interests of efficiency 
to use them. Research work of a secret nature or for the advantage of 
individual firms, might possibly be tolerated in University laboratories 
for a time, until other facilities are provided, but in my opinion it should 
