96 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION A. 



a good big place to work in — a place where every part of an 

 experiment can be done — and where loss of time through running 

 about shall be reduced to a minimum. Even for purposes of 

 instruction I utterly fail to see the advantages arising from the 

 use of antiquated or inefficient appliances. Experimental facility 

 can I believe be acquired just as well by working with good tools 

 as with bad ones : and the amount of ground got over is greater, 

 the greater the efficiency of the appliances. Of course I do not 

 mean to say that students should be furnished with all their 

 experiments ready set up — this I believe to be a great mistake — 

 I think the best work for students is the most difficult and 

 tiresome — and that requiring the greatest accuracy — but why 

 should we add to that the annoyance of insufficient or make- 

 shift appliances ? I am of course talking of Physical work — in 

 such cases as Mineralogy — where the student will in after times 

 have to work with meagre instrumental assistance, handiness and 

 a power of adaptation of tilings to want — are the most valuable 

 possessions that education can furnish ; so that much apparatus 

 may in this case be a bad thing. But this is not to any extent 

 the case with Physics. It is true of course that many great men 

 have performed great experimental feats with the simplest of 

 apparatus ; but the contemplation of such cases has always 

 stirred within me some feeling of regret that the means were so 

 inadequate, and this has quickly overpowered the feeling of 

 delight in the results attained. On the whole I conceive that the 

 work done in a Physical Laboratory is not unlike the work done 

 in an instrument maker's shop ; and that both should be con- 

 tructed on the same principle of time-saving. Everybody 

 interested in the subject will know that he is always busy with 

 many more experimental projects than he can carry out ; and 

 will I think agree with me in recalling the pain he has experienced 

 in having to spend hours where minutes would suffice were his 

 appliances sufficient. The moral of all this, as far as my Labora- 

 tory is concerned, is to be found in the following facts. 



The floors of nearly all the rooms have been made as solid as 

 possible, some with concrete, and some with massive woodwork : 

 slate working tables independent of the floors have been set up 

 in every working room. A plentiful supply of gas, water, elec- 

 tricity, gas and electric light, air blast, steam, oxygen and vacuum 

 pumps have been laid on in practically every room. A means of 

 pei^fect darkening by shutters or blinds has been provided every- 

 where and its usefulness has already been demonstrated. 



A glance at the plan accompanying this paper will show that 

 the building is erected on sloping ground, and will also disclose 

 at once the extreme simplicity of its construction. As we decided 

 to give up all thoughts of architecture and put the Laboratory in 

 an inconspicuous place it was felt that we must endeavour to 

 obtain the greatest possible accommodation with a minimum 



