152 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN INSTITUTE.  [VOL. XI 
have already taken place amount to a positive revolution. There is 
scarcely an industry in the country which has not come out of the ordeal 
of the war without being stimulated by the special difficulties which had 
to be surmounted. As has been stated, the history of the war in Great 
Britain has been a history of grave and threatening difficulties courage- 
ously faced and successfully overcome. 
When the war broke out the manufacture of optical and chemical 
glass in France and England was practically insignificant. The steel 
industry was paralysed at first by the lack of chemical glass for testing 
purposes, and the porcelain and pottery industries were brought to a 
standstill through the supply from Germany being cut off of Seger cones 
used as guides to firing. To-day Britain has industries which supply all 
her needs. The compositions of chemical glasses have been ascertained. 
Methods of manufacture have been devised and have been put into 
operation, and through the efforts of Dr. Mellor, recently deceased, the 
composition of Seger cones has been successfully worked out. The 
manufacturers of porcelain have pooled their knowledge, combinations 
have been effected and research laboratories have been instituted and 
manned to help them through the co-operation of the Industrial Research 
Commission, and with the aid of the financial support of the Government. 
I may perhaps be permitted to refer to another phase of the work 
of the British Commission on Industrial and Scientific Research. In— 
the report which has just been issued emphasis is laid on what are called 
“key” or master industries. Such, it is pointed out, are the magneto 
industry, and the manufacture of lathes and milling machines, optical 
glass, porcelain, fine chemicals, dye stuffs, synthetic drugs and high 
explosives. For such articles the market is a limited one but the articles 
themselves are vital for numerous other industries. For the develop- 
ment of such industries the Commission takes the view that State sup- 
port is absolutely necessary, and steps have already been taken by that 
body to place a number of these industries upon a satisfactory basis. 
Through the action of the Commission* the University of Leeds has made 
arrangements whereby the organisation known as “British Dyes”’ may 
receive substantial assistance in the matter of scientific research and at 
the same time special facilities are to be given to private firms and others 
in the national interest. In dealing with the textile industry, support 
has also been given for the investigation of the nature and constitution 
of cellulose fibres at the School of Technology at Manchester. The 
Commission is also supporting an investigation of the de-gumming of 
silk at the Imperial Institute of Science in London. At the Royal 
Technical College, Glasgow, and at the University of Manchester it is 
carrying on researches on the design of steam nozzles for turbines. 
*See Appendix III. 
