THE CHEMICAL ELEMENTS—RAMSAY. 197 
gas engines; and distributing the electrical energy to where it is 
wanted. The use of gas engines may, if desired, be accompanied by 
the production of half-distilled coal, a fuel which burns nearly without 
smoke, and one which is suitable for domestic fires, if it is found too 
difficult to displace them and to induce our population to adopt the 
more efficient and economical systems of domestic heating which are 
used in America and on the Continent. The increasing use of gas for 
factory, metallurgical, and chemical purposes points to the gradual 
concentration of works near the coal mines, in order that the laying 
down of expensive piping may be avoided. 
An invention which would enable us to convert the energy of coal 
directly into electrical energy would revolutionize our ideas and 
methods, yet it is not unthinkable. The nearest practical approach 
to this is the Mond gas battery, which, however, has not succeeded, 
owing to the imperfection of the machine. 
In conclusion, I would put in a plea for the study of pure science, 
without regard to its applications. The discovery of radium and 
similar radioactive substances has widened the bounds of thought. 
While themselves, in all probability, incapable of industrial applica- 
tion, save in the domain of medicine, their study has shown us to what 
enormous advances in the concentration of energy it is permissible to 
look forward, with the hope of applying the knowledge thereby gained 
to the betterment of the whole human race. As charity begins at 
home, however, and as I am speaking to the British Association for 
the Advancement of Science, I would urge that our first duty is to 
strive for all which makes for the permanence of the British com- 
monweal and which will enable us to transmit to our posterity a 
heritage not unworthy to be added to that which we have received 
from those who have gone before. 
