INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE." 



By Prof. Arthur Schuster, 

 Langworthy professor of physics i)i the University of Manchester. 



The pursuit of science has always joined in sympathy men of 

 diiferent nationalities, and even before the days of rapid letter post 

 and quick traveling, intercourse, especially by correspondence, exer- 

 cised a considerable influence on scientific activity. Such intercourse 

 was, however, of a personal and purely stimulating character, and 

 only quite exceptionally was there any direct attempt to organize 

 investigations which required a combination of workers in different 

 localities. AVithin the last centur}'', however, many problems became 

 urgent which could not be solved without some international agree- 

 ment, and special organizations came into life which have rendered a 

 service the importance of Avhich can not be exaggerated. 



At present we are confronted with a new difficulty. International 

 combination has become so necessary and organizations have in con- 

 sequence increased to such an extent that they begin to overlap, and 

 there has been some danger of mutual interference. Fear has also 

 been expressed that any attempt to advance knowledge by an organ- 

 ized combination of workers might discourage private efforts, and 

 therefore do mischief rather than good. It must be acknowledged 

 that this danger exists. The proper function of combination must be 

 clearly separated from that of private enterprise, and some general 

 regulating control is therefore called for. The time seems ripe for a 

 general review of the situation. 



We may distinguish between three types of international organiza- 

 tions. The first aims simply at collecting information, the second is 

 intended to fix fundamental units or to initiate agreements on matters 

 in which uniformity is desirable, Avhile in the third type of organiza- 

 tion a more direct advance of knowledge is aimed at and research is car- 

 ried out according to a combined scheme. Generally an international 

 association does not entirely fall within any single one of these divi- 

 sions, but it is useful to draw the distinction and classify the associa- 

 tions according to the main object which they are intended to serve. 



The best example of an organization formed for the purpose of 

 collecting information is furnished by the great undertaking initiated 

 by our Royal Society and having for its object the systematic cata- 



a Read before the Royal Institution of Great Britain at weelily evening meet- 

 ing, Friday, May 18, 1906. Reprinted from Transactions. 



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