Sept. 2, 1875] 



NATURE 



363 



number of such investigators, and where appropriate 

 rooms for carrying on these researches could be had. It 

 is exceedingly difficult to carry on chemical research in 

 one's own house, because of the want of proper con- 

 trivances for dealing with corrosive gases and vapours ; 

 and hence appropriate buildings ought to be provided for 

 carrying on such investigations. I think, therefore, that 

 it would afford a great stimulus to research of this kind if 

 such institutions were provided, and furnished with such 

 instruments as would be generally useful in research, 

 leaving the more special instruments and mnterials 

 adapted to the particular researches themselves, to be 

 provided by each operator, ... I have reason to believe 

 that no inconsiderable number of men, more especially of 

 those educated in some of the science schools, would 

 undertake researches if such facilities were afforded 

 them." 



" Would you consider the chief use of such institutions 

 as laboratories to be to enable private inquirers to carry 

 on their researches, or would you propose that any inves- 

 tigations should be carried on there on behalf of the 

 State ? — I think that both things might be provided for. 

 The State requires many important investigations to be 



carried on That might well form one part of the 



objects of such a building, but I should think that so far 

 as abstract research, of which we are more especially 

 speaking now, is concerned, the other portion of those 

 objects, namely, the encouragement of original investiga- 

 tion in the case of amateurs would be more important, 

 because the investigations made for the Government are 

 essentially practical investigations ; they are not usually 

 of that character which lead to discoveries or to the 

 advancement of science." 



" Would you place those laboratories under a perma- 

 nent official ? — They must of necessity be under the direct 

 and constant superintendence of some one thoroughly 

 conversant with the operations going on in them ; and, 

 so far as the conducting of the separate original researches 

 is concerned, I think that it would be very desirable that 

 the admission into such institutions should be granted 

 through some such body as the Research Fund Com- 

 mittee, for instance, of the Council of the Royal Society, 

 or some body of that kind, who would make intelligent 

 and impartial inquiry into the qualifications of the men 

 applying for accommodation." 



"You would not throw upon the director the sole 

 responsibility of deciding who should be admitted and 

 who should not ?— I think that would not be desirable." . . . 



" And do you think it would be requisite that those 

 institutions should be on a large scale? — I think that 

 they ought to be on a fairly large scale even to begin 

 with, because it is always a costly process to rebuild such 

 institutions ; and I am inclined to think that they would 

 be rapidly filled. A tolerably large institution of that 

 kind would probably in a very few years be filled with 

 workers." . . . 



" You would not recommend, in the first instance^ at 

 least, more than the estabhshment of one for each depart- 

 ment of science ?— I think not more than that," 



•'And should it be in London?— Yes, I suppose they 

 must be commenced here, but eventually it would be 

 desirable that the important centres in the provinces 

 should also be furnished with such places." 



" Col. Strange recommended the establishment of four 

 laboratories ; should you be disposed to agree with him 

 in that view ? — Yes, I think that those would be neces- 

 sary ; perhaps the least essential of them would be the 

 metallurgical one, but certainly the others would be quite 

 essential." 



Mr. Warren De la Rue, whose opinion on this subject, 

 as that of one of the most eminent private scientific 

 workers on a large scale, must have peculiar weight -"v- 

 presses himself as follows :— 



ex- 



" Are you of opinion that any new institutions in the 

 way of laboratories should be established by the State ? 

 — I hold it to be so important that chemistry should be 

 extensively cultivated in England, that I would strongly 

 advocate that there should be a State laboratory. That 

 State laboratory should undertake all the chemical work 

 which the Government might require, but at the same 

 time, according to the views which I hold, it ought to be 

 such an estabhshment as could afford facilities to men 

 who have completed their scientific education, and who 

 might be desirous of continuing original investigations, 

 in which space for working and instruments should be 

 afforded them ; and, moreover, if men were not in a 

 position of fortune to continue their researches, in some 

 cases materials and even money might be granted to them 

 on the recommendation of the council. I may state that of 

 my own knowledge I know that chemical science at pre- 

 sent is not progressing in England in a satisfactory 

 manner, that we do not make so many original researches 

 as our continental neighbours, particularly the Germans, 

 do. In Germany very great patronage is given to science, 

 magnificent laboratories have been built, and the students, 

 who, after they are sufficiently advanced, are encouraged 

 to make original investigations, contribute at present 

 most largely to scientific chemistry." 



" Do you think that the establishment of those Govern- 

 ment laboratories would be likely to give rise to com- 

 plaints from any existing institutions ? — I think not, if 

 those Government establishments were not educational 

 establishments. . . . What I contemplate is merely that 

 facilities should be given to men who have already been 

 educated, and not to interfere at all with the functions of 

 educational estabUshments." 



'• Do you think that any other laboratories would be 

 needed ? — I attach the greatest importance to a chemical 

 laboratory, because I believe that chemistry is destined 

 to play a very important part in the advancement of the 

 arts in all civilised countries, but there also ought to be a 

 physical laboratory very much on the same footing as the 

 chemical laboratory, and in which facilities should be 

 afforded for conducting physical investigations." 



" You would give admission to those laboratories on 

 the same principle as to the chemical laboratories ?— Yes, 

 to men who could show that they were qualified to make 

 a beneficial use of them." 



" You think that any investigations required by the 

 State should also be conducted there 1 — Yes, they should 

 be conducted in either the chemical or physical labo- 

 ratory, according to the nature of the investigations. For 

 example, there were a great number of investigations car- 

 ried on at Woolwich relating to the strength of different 

 alloys whose chemical composition was determined by 

 analysis. Such investigations would be very well con- 

 ducted in the chemical laboratories." 



" Would you transfer the work now done at Woolwich 

 to such a laboratory ?— Part of the work, but I would 

 except such special work as could be better done at each 

 of the Government establishments. Special investi- 

 gations would fall within the duties of the central govern- 

 ment laboratory. The testing of the purity of the pro- 

 ducts to be used in the department and routine work 

 would be better conducted in those establishments." 



" With respect to the other purpose of the laboratory, 

 do you think that there would be a sufficient number of 

 independent inquirers to occupy an estabhshment hke 

 that ?-— I think that there would be a great number of 

 men who would be very glad to avail themselves of such 

 opportunities as a laboratory of that kind would afford, 

 and their doing so would not add materially to the cost 

 of the establishment," 



Mr. Gore, a distinguished practical chemist, also re- 

 commends the establishment of laboratories, his evidence 

 being essentially of the same purport as that quoted above. 



T 3 



