August i, 191 8] 



NATURE 



429 



but also for laboratory purposes. The pure potash 

 required for certain glasses is obtained by an elec- 

 trolytic process, and we need never again go to 

 Germany for it or for the glass itself. 



^^^e are meeting all demands for such synthetic 

 organic drugs as salicylic acid and aspirin, phena- 

 cetin, salvarsan, and many others, photographic 

 chemicals, synthetic dyes and associated products, 

 as well as hundreds of similar substances of which 

 Germany had the monopoly. The magneto in- 

 dustry has established itself in a sound position, 

 and the German instrument has been displaced for 

 good. Hard porcelain for electrical fittings and 

 laboratory ware is now British-made, thanks to 

 scientific work and industrial enterprise. " We pro- 

 duce all the tungsten required for special steels 

 and metallic filament lamps, and can supply the 

 world if necessary ; we make aluminium alloys 

 superior to any of the German pre-war products, 

 and like success has been attained in other direc- 

 tions. 



While our military, naval, and air services have 

 been actively engaged in battle, the allied forces of 

 science and industry have been making advances 

 no less noteworthy, though their conquests do not 

 occupy much public attention. What has been 

 achieved in scientific industry during the last four 

 years is most creditable both to scientific workers 

 and to manufacturers, and we are glad that steps 

 have been taken to enlighten the public upon this 

 matter by the organisation of a British Scientific 

 Products Exhibition, which will be opened on 

 August 12 at King's College, London. 



The British Science Guild, with the assent of the 

 Ministry of Munitions and the approval of the 

 Board of Trade, has arranged for this exhibition 

 to be held for four weeks during August and 

 September. The exhibition will include products 

 and appliances of scientific and industrial interest 

 which prior to the war were obtained chiefly from 

 enemy c6untries, but are now produced in the 

 United Kingdom. The chief purpose of the ex- 

 hibition is to make clear the necessity of scientific 

 research with respect to the application of its 

 results in the arts and industries; and, further, 

 to display to the public and to those intimately 

 concerned how much has been successfully 

 achieved in this regard since the advent of the 

 war in the production of articles of prime import- 

 ance, not only for the home, but also for foreign 

 markets, hitherto manufactured in or imported 

 from other countries. 



Such an exhibition at the pr&sent time will have 

 a most stimulating influence upon scientific and 

 industrial research and upon manufactures, and 

 the highest permanent interests of the nation will 

 be promoted thereby. His Majesty the King has 

 shown his interest in the exhibition by becoming 

 the Patron ; while the Marquess of Crewe is presi- 

 dent, and the vice-presidents include the Prime 

 Minister and other leading members of the Govern- 

 ment as well as distinguished representatives of 

 scientific, educational, and industrial institutions. 

 More than 250 manufacturers are sending exhibits ; 

 and the .Air Ministry is arranging a large display 

 NO. 2544, VOL. lOl] 



of its scientific activities, as well as the Food Pro- 

 duction Department. It is understood, of course, 

 that some manufacturers — for example, opticians 

 and scientific instrument makers — are unable to-" 

 send exhibits on account of their reduced staffs and 

 the insistent demands made for immediate delivery 

 of all instruments or appliances produced by them ; 

 nevertheless, there is no doubt that the exhibition 

 will afford an impressive object-lesson of British 

 scientific activity and industrial enterprise. 



The manufacturers who are participating in the 

 exhibition are doing so largely from patriotic 

 motives, as no goods will be sold, and any advan- 

 tage they may derive from their display will be 

 indirect. What is desired chiefly is to educate 

 the public to know that British science and British 

 industry can, when conditions are favourable, 

 excel in manufactures which were popularly sup- 

 posed to be essentially German. We have re- 

 covered lost ground, and we need never lose it 

 again if the development of industry through 

 science is made a national aim. 



It might have been supposed that the Depart- 

 ment of Scientific and Industrial Research would 

 have been able to afford financial aid to such an 

 exhibition as that shortly to be opened, but we 

 understand that neither it nor any other Govern- 

 ment Department has yet contributed a grant 

 towards the heavy expenses involved. The whole 

 cost will have to be met by voluntary contribu- 

 tions, and it is to be hoped that the patriotic 

 efforts of the British Science Guild to give con- 

 fidence in our scientific strength and encourage- 

 ment to its industrial application will receive 

 generous support from all who are in the position 

 to give it. Donations should be sent to the 

 Treasurer, British Scientific Products Exhibition, 

 British Science Guild, 199 Piccadilly, Lon- 

 don, W, I. 



NOTES. 



Attenhon has been directed several times in these 

 columns to the progress of the dyes industry in this 

 country, and last week a brief statement was given 

 of the proposals, of the Government in the direction 

 of giving further assistance to the firms engaged in 

 the manufacture. The Supplementary Estimate 

 referred to was discussed in the House of Commons 

 on Thursday, July 25. Some opposition was raised 

 to the scheme mainly on the ground that there was 

 a lack of information before the House as to what 

 had been done with the money already advanced, and 

 how the present proposed grant of 6t)o,ooo/. towards 

 extensions and plant was going to be utilised. It 

 would undoubtedly be interesting to have a clear 

 statement as to the disposal of the funds already 

 allocated to " British Dyes, Limited," but most of the 

 speakers on Thursday last failed to appreciate the 

 fact that the dyes industry is not only of the first 

 importance to the country, but also a manufacture of 

 a peculiar character, dependent as it is on the con- 

 stant association of research in the laboratory with 

 processes in the works. The amount of capital in- 

 vested in the manufacture in Germany mav be roughly 

 estimated at about ten times that which is at the 

 disposal of firms in this country, and during the first 

 few years they will require all the encouragement and 



