300 



NATURE 



[April 27, 191 1 



•itud'rntM, mo«t of whom nri» enf^agMl in sight tcstlnfj and 

 spectacle making; nnd not in optical liistrumpnt makinf*. 

 Th« libt-rnl funds nvailnbic for the Citrman schools cnabl** 

 them to charge only about 30*. per annum for full-time 

 instruction. The Northampton Institute Is compelled to 

 charf^e 15/. pi-r annum, a fc« which many iitudents must 

 find it impossible to pay. 



It is of some importance to observe that the four German 

 schools, as their names imply, are organised for the 

 teaching of fine instrument making generally, whereas the 

 Northampton department is principally concerned with 

 optical instruments. 



I'inallv, it may be noted that the German schools have 

 been established by the municipalities concerned, generally 

 as a result of action taken by the local trades. They 

 receive, however, maintenance grants from the States 

 concerned nnd appear to be in close touch with the 

 authorities. 



The single courses given in fine instrument making at 

 various German trade schools are at least equal in organisa- 

 tion and quality to the one or two courses at technical 

 colleges in f^ngland and are greater in number. The work 

 of the Munich course has been developed to that of a 

 department of technical optics ; 201 pupils receive eight to 

 nine hours' instruction per week. 



The more numerous and superior opportunities for optical 

 instruction in Germany have made themselves felt in all 

 directions. Formerly a large number of optical inventions 

 were made in Kngland. Latterly, they have been more 

 frequent in Germany, and the resulting trade has gone to 

 that country. The records of the Patent Office are con- 

 clusive in this respect ; such names as Zeiss, Goerz, 

 Anschiitz, Steinhcil, Busch, &c., are household words in 

 British optical circles. Some British firms are compelled to 

 employ foreign mathematicians. 



No practical text-book of optics exists in English, and 

 the principal technical literature on the subject of optical 

 progress and inventions is in German. The Northampton 

 Institute is the sole place in England where the Gauss 

 system of computing simple lenses and lens systems is 

 properly taught. English optical instrument makers who 

 wish to keep abreast of their science and industry are com- 

 pelled to learn German and teach themselves. 



In spite of these drawbacks, many important recent in- 

 ventions have been made in England ; in fact, as regards 

 the quality, the English optical inventions are probably 

 unrivalled, although in quantity they are less. As British 

 enterprise and manual skill are not inferior to German, it 

 is reasonable to suppose that this country would easily hold 

 its own if the necessary opportunities for full instruction 

 were provided. In former times optical problems were 

 simpler and technical methods less complex. This has 

 entirely changed, and to-day Germany, the country with 

 the best optical literature and instruction, produces most 

 inventions and has the biggest output and export. 



In spite of the advances made in optical instruction in 

 Germany, it does not appear that the optical trade is by any 

 means content with what has been done. The instrument- 

 making schools are being improved and expanded, and 

 trade classes for instrument-making at other technical 

 schools are being increased and developed. To give two 

 recent examples — the Gottingen school has just moved into 

 a new building, and the Munich course has been converted 

 into an incfependent department. Technical optical lectures 

 are increasing at technical and older universities. There is 

 a strong feeling that much more could be done by the 

 State and municipalities for the further advancement of 

 technical optics. This is very significant in view of the 

 fact that the British industry at present is pressing for only 

 a part of the educational facilities already at the disposition 

 of the German industry. 



Comparison between the Extent of the British and 

 German Optical Industries. — Germany, the country with 

 the most numerous and best-equipped s'^hools, departments, 

 and courses for teaching instrument making, and w^ith the 

 best technical universities, has captured the largest amount 

 of the world's optical trade. Starting well behind France 

 and England, she has thoroughly beaten both countries in 

 the amount of her production and export. In both 

 countries there is considerable difficulty in obtaining trust- 

 worthy figures^ as to capital and the number of workmen 

 employed. Fairlv definite figures, however, can be obtained 



NO. 2165, VOL. 86] 



from the export and import resulib 

 of production figur»«. 



The net Briti •* of scienfjlic 



have only inrn:i ^os.'jogi, in i«)' 



1909. But at u>. ^..1... time there ha> .^-ii a i>«^a<> 

 import, commencing at 595.305/. in 1900 and rising to 

 b<)ti,563/. in 1909. 



The German export of scientific instruments, &c., was 

 valued at 1,300,000/. in 1898, and for 1909 it was valued 

 at 2,376,550/. Since 1904 alone it has increased by 

 776,5<;o/. Imports into Germany appear to be very low, 

 whilst in EngUmd the imports are so heavy as to be larger 

 than the exports. At the present moment the German 

 export of optical instruments is almost as great as the 

 whole of the British production. .Vpparcntly the British 

 trade has no true exports in the sense of excess of exports 

 over imports, and is dependent upon foreign imports for a 

 part of the home consumption. In spite of all these dis- 

 advantages, however, the British industry ' — *• to 



exist and do excellent work. The (iermans ct 



the Brussels Exhibition, 1910, both the British i 'h 



industries were well represented, and they direct special 

 attention to the large English catalogue with its good 

 illustrations. 



Germany and France appear to possess almost a 

 monopoly in the production of the special glass required 

 for optical instruments ; the French glass is made from 

 German formulae. Large quantities of raw optical glass 

 and of parti.illy and fully finished glasses and lenses are 

 annually exported to England. If this export were inter- 

 fered with by any cause, a large section of the British 

 industry might possibly find itself in a very grave position. 



It is not technical education alone which has assisted the 

 German industry. There has evidently been a keen demand 

 for the finest instruments of precision made in the country 

 itself on the part of men of science, professors, professional 

 men, the army, the navy, and manufacturers. Great help 

 has also been afforded by the following factors : — 



German Association of Instrument Makers. — The associa- 

 tion was founded in 1881. It looks after the interest of 

 the trade in every respect with regard to general education, 

 technical training, commercial education, international and 

 other exhibitions, and finally by representations to the 

 Imperial Government. This last point seems of Mme 

 importance, and some details may therefore be given. It 

 appears that, as far back as 1890, the association was 

 agitating for the proper differentiation, in official docu- 

 ments, between optical and other fine instruments. The 

 difficulties caused bv the lack of a suitable scheme of 

 classification have already been mentioned. At the same 

 time the association was making representations against a 

 protective tariff for instruments manufactured in Germany. 

 as their second market lay in foreign countries, and 

 reprisals were feared. Other negotiations have been carried 

 on with the Government with regard to avoiding the duties 

 paid on the re-import of instruments for purposes of repair. 

 This is most significant, as it shows that instruments sold 

 abroad cannot be repaired abroad, but have to be returned 

 to Germany for this purpose. The association deals very 

 fully with all questions regarding the participation of 

 German firms in international exhibitions and with repre- 

 sentations concerning the imposition of foreign tariffs on 

 German goods. In one case it approached the Danish 

 Government with reference to obtaining a larger amount of 

 Iceland spar for optical purposes. 



Jena and the Optical Industry. — Much of the success of 

 the German industry comes from the town of Jena, where 

 the firm of Zeiss is situated. Three men combined togetfier 

 in order to produce what was required for the optical 

 industry. These were Dr. Schott, a glass manufacturer; 

 Prof. .Abbe, an oculist ; and Carl Zeiss, a microscope 

 maker. Prof. Abbe's efforts have had great influence upon 

 the German industry. He introduced many improvements, 

 and endeavoured not only to benefit his own firm but tfi** 

 whole industry. Dr. Schott obtained a grant from the 

 Prussian Government for the purpose of investigating the 

 best kinds of ^lass for optical purposes, especially with 

 regard to the relation between the optical properties of 

 glass and the chemical composition of solid amorphous 

 fluxes. The result is that Schott has almost a world's 

 monopoly for the best kind of special elass for optica! 

 purposes. Where one of the very few English glass manu- 



