ix ASA GRAY, ADDRESS 235 



manly vigour of the mid-course, of a distinguished career. 

 Long and prosperously may it grow from strength to 

 strength. 



In general, praise of the address which we have had the 

 pleasure of hearing would not be particularly becoming from 

 one whose chemistry nearly ended as well as began with the 

 simple atomic theory of Dalton. But there is one topic 

 which I may properly speak of, standing as I do as a repre- 

 sentative of those favoured individuals whom your programme 

 for lack of a better distinguishing word calls foreigners. I 

 refer to the urgently expressed " hope that this meeting may be 

 the commencement of an international scientific organisation." 

 For this we thank you, Mr. President, most heartily. This is, 

 indeed, a consummation devoutly to be wished, and confidently 

 to be hoped for, by all of us, especially by those for whom I 

 am speaking. Not only we Americans, who are of British 

 descent, and who never forget that blood is thicker than water, 

 but as well our Continental associates on this platform, of the 

 various strains of blood which interfused have produced the 

 English race and fitted it for its noble issues we, each and 

 all, I repeat, accept this name of foreigners only in the con- 

 ventional sense which the imperfection of the language 

 imposes. In the forum of science we ignore it altogether. 

 One purpose unifies and animates every scientific mind with 

 " one divine intent," and that by no means the " far-off intent " 

 of which the poet sings, but one very near and pervading. 

 So we took to heart the closing words of your President's 

 most pertinent and timely address. Indeed, we had taken 

 them to heart in anticipation. And we have come to this 

 meeting one hundred strong or more (in place of the ordinary 

 score) fully bent upon making this Manchester meeting inter- 

 national. 



Far back in my youthful days there was a strong-willed 

 President of the United States, of military antecedents, who 

 once drew up and promulgated an official order which some- 

 what astounded his Cabinet officers. " Why, Mr. President ! " 

 they said, " you can't do that." " Can't do it," replied General 

 Jackson, " don't you see that I have done it ? " And so we 

 internationals have come and done it. I am the unworthy 

 spokesman of such a numerous and such a distinguished 

 array of scientific foreigners as have never been assembled 

 before. 



Next year, if you will, you shall have as many more. 

 When you, too, are ready to cross the Channel or the North 

 Sea, we shall compose only a larger scientific brotherhood. 



