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265 



THE CHOICE OF A CHEMIST TO THE NAVY. 



SIR HENRY ROSCOE'S watchful regard of the true 

 interests of science was evidenced by his recent 

 question in the House to the First Lord of the Admiralty, 

 whether, in consequence of the resignation of Dr. Debus 

 of the Professorship of Chemistry in the Royal Naval 

 School at Greenwich, it was proposed to reduce the status 

 of this post to a lectureship ; and if so, whether he would 

 take into consideration the inexpediency of this step 

 being taken, in view of the importance to naval officers of 

 a knowledge of this science, and of the necessity that in 

 the Government Naval School the post in question should 

 be filled by a gentleman of the highest possible scientific 

 position and attainments. 



Lord G. Hamilton is reported to have replied that the 

 resignation of Dr. Debus, Professor of Chemistry at the 

 Royal Naval College, had only just been received by the 

 Admiralty, and therefore it would be premature to make 

 any statement as to the manner in which it may be 

 thought desirable to fill the vacancy so caused. The 

 policy of the Admiralty was always to inquire into the 

 circumstances of any appointment of this kind that may 

 fall vacant, with the view of adjusting the salary to the 

 requirements of the day. 



It must be obvious that this statement savours most 

 strongly of officialism, and that it affords no information 

 whatever with regard to the views and intentions of the 

 Admiralty. We have already clearly indicated what are 

 the requirements of the day, and Sir Henry Roscoe has 

 given emphasis to our views ; but it is more than probable 

 that unless attention be again directed to the importance 

 of the issues involved in the appointment of a chemist to 

 the Navy the course of action indicated in our previous 

 article as likely to be followed will inevitably be adopted. 



We therefore without hesitation again urge that in a 

 case of this kind only one course can be adopted with 

 safety by the Admiralty, if the interests of the nation are 

 to be considered — that course is to engage the services 

 of the best man available. No candidate's claims should 

 be considered unless it can be shown that he is a trained 

 chemist, and has been actively engaged in the pursuit of 

 new knowledge ; and unless it appear probable that he is 

 enthusiastic and single-minded enough to continue to 

 interest himself in research work and to lead his senior 

 pupils to engage in research. We are fully aware that in 

 imposing this standard we are demanding higher quali- 

 fications than many may consider necessary ; that some 

 may even think that nothing more is required at Green- 

 wich than one who will teach young midshipmen the 

 elements of chemistry and simple analysis fairly well ; 

 but to this we demur most emphatically, believing it to be 

 incontestable that the science of chemistry may minister 

 directly and indirectly in so many ways to the wants of our 

 Navy that it is essential to give it the highest possible 

 footing in the course of study at a naval college. 



In the recently published life of W. E. Forster, a 

 fragment of conversation at a dinner party preserved by 

 Mrs. Forster is recorded which will be aptly quoted 



here. " Mr. said that was always going about 



asking people what was the ideal towards which they 

 Vol. xxxviii. — No. 977. 



were working, and there was a laugh at the notion. But 

 my husband did not join in it, saying that, for his part, 

 if he was not constantly thinking of the ideal which he 

 was working up to, he should not be able to get on at all." 

 We venture to think that the infertility of British chemists 

 and the inferior position which chemistry holds in this 

 country, especially at our two great universities, as well as 

 our failure to excel in those industries in which chemistry 

 plays an important part, are due to the absence of an 

 ideal among our chemists generally in any way approach- 

 ing to that which has long obtained in Germany, 

 where no higher grade appointment can be bestowed 

 except on a man who is master of his subject, and not a 

 past-master even but an active worker ; and it is the 

 absence of any such ideal which in cases like the present 

 renders it possible for the authorities to entertain the 

 suggestion of reducing the status of the post at Greenwich. 

 We believe that a master chemist is required at Green- 

 wich for a variety of reasons. Firstly, as a matter of 

 national honour ; secondly, because, as we have already 

 said, the subject must be taught technically, i.e. with direct 

 reference to the knowledge and requirements of the stu-. 

 dents ; thirdly, because the students are not only young 

 beginners, but are of all ages, including many men of' 

 ripe experience, and it is scarcely necessary to remark 

 that no one who is not a thorough chemist can possibly 

 gain the sympathies of this latter class ; and, lastly, 

 because no one who is not himself actively engaged in 

 research will remain ate coicrant with the progress of 

 knowledge, and will be able to select and incorporate 

 into his teaching important new facts, thus avoiding the 

 otherwise inevitable tendency to teach in a stereotyped, 

 and bookish fashion from year to year. 



The proper man being found, he should be told at the- 

 outset that it is expected that when engaged in investiga- 

 tion he will devote his attention primarily to problems of 

 importance in the Navy ; a short intercourse with men, 

 versed in naval affairs and requirements would soon fur- 

 nish an active-minded chemist with more than sufficient 

 subject-matter meriting attentive study. It is more than, 

 probable that if a good example were set, and a spirit of 

 enthusiasm kindled among the students, officers who had 

 been led to take a real interest in chemistry would be 

 willing, in the intervals of enforced inactivity when they 

 were not on service, to devote themselves to research ; : 

 and if but moderate encouragement were given to such, 

 men, we can conceive that Greenwich at no distant date- 

 might become an important school of naval research. 



Unfortunately it is only too obvious that the public are 

 slow to heed the repeated warnings of experts that our 

 competitors in commerce are outrunning us largely be- 

 cause of their readiness to avail themselves of the aid 

 which science can afford to industry. The evidence that 

 foreign Governments are more anxious than is ours to, 

 make every possible use of science in the service of the. 

 Army and Navy is also growing daily ; but we are con- 

 fident that in the present instance the danger of the. 

 retrograde action which appears to have been contenu 

 plated having been pointed out. the naval authorities will 

 not allow themselves to be guided by shortsighted ad- 

 visers, and will no longer countenance any change which 

 does not enhance their opportunities of receiving aid 

 from so all-important a branch of science as chemistry. 



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