June 3, 1920] 



NATURE 



423 



Mr. Williamson's letter in Nature of May 27, in 

 which he criticises the attitude of Prof. Soddy and 

 that of the National Union of Scientific Workers 

 towards the Department of Scientific and Industrial 

 Research and the struggling research associations, 

 confuses the issue. To attack the Department or 

 association entrusted with industrial research is 

 tantamount neither to attacking industrial research 

 nor to making invidious distinctions between pure and 

 applied research. 



In the minds of the members of this union there 

 exists no belief in the suf>eriority of pure science over 

 industrial research ; it has always been our expressed 

 opinion that there is no difference in their scientific 

 value. In one of our explanatory pamphlets this view 

 is expressed : " It [the union] aims at including within 

 a" single scheme both academic and technical members. 

 . . . The separation of science and industry has been 

 a principal cause of our disastrous neglect of science 

 in the past, and if continued will remain harmful 

 to both in future. The present organisation, by en- 

 suring the intercourse of the two sides, is therefore 

 desirable on both national and scientific grounds." 

 Embodied in our rules we have as avowed objects : 

 (i) To advance the interests of science, pure and 

 applied, as an essential element in the national life. 

 (2) To promote and encourage scientific research in all 

 its branches. 



Our criticism is that in any scheme nut forward by 

 the Deoartment inadequate facilities are given to that 

 tvoe of research which, though it ha"? less immediate 

 aoplication, is probably of greater ultimate importance 

 through leading to the better understandine: of more 

 phenomena. It would be quite unfair to expect par- 

 ticular industrial research associations to contribute 

 more than others to the prosecution of research which 

 micht have a common application to industry^ or to 

 some aspect of the national life. Obviouslv this type 

 of work is best carried out at the univer'^ities or at 

 institutions such as the National Physical Laboratory. 

 Yet how is this research fostered at the universities? 

 .According to the last report of the Department, sixty- 

 eight research workers and their assistants and thirty- 

 five students in training received allowances and grants 

 for equipment amounting to 14,170?.; this is at the 

 rate of 53.";. a week, and includes equipment. Con- 

 trast thiV grant with the salary of 4000L a year for 

 the director of the Glass Research Association—an 

 appointment which is an affront to all scientific 

 workers. Millions have gone into State-protected 

 industries to the accompaniment of an astounding 

 appreciation in the value of the shares held by indi- 

 viduals in the State-aided industry. But the uni- 

 versities are begging for funds to provide decent bench 

 accommodation and instructors for their science 

 students. Speaking at Liverpool on May 28, Dr. 

 ."Xdami is reoorted to have said that if the university 

 raised the salaries of its demonstrators to a proper 

 standard it would lead to bankruptcy. 



It is unfair to suggest that we are criticisingf the 

 Department for the starvation of pure scientific re- 

 search because industrial research is fostered ; on the 

 contrary, we are anxious for the advancement of both. 

 We are' of the opinion that neither branch of science 

 is receiving adequate support, but that research 

 carried out in the general interest is in the more 

 unfavourable position. If we attack the Department 

 it is because we honestly believe it is for the better- 

 ment of research — a maximum of efficiencv in the 

 administration of the funds available which must 

 inevitably tend towards the better appreciation of 

 science. , . 



At the conference of research associations held 

 under the auspices of the Department of Scientific 

 and Industrial "Research on May 14, I heard several 

 NO. 2640, VOL. 105] 



representatives express opinions almost identical 

 with those of the National Union of Scientific 

 Workers; suggestions were made and questions 

 asked which are provoked by Prof. Soddy 's address. 

 Mr. Williamson himself dealt with the economic posi- 

 tion of the research workers, and made suggestions 

 for improvement which might have been those of a 

 member of the executive of this union. 



We entirely concur with Sir Frank Heath 

 that the Department of Scientific and Industrial 

 Research is embarked on a g-reat adventure. 

 Mr. Williamson will agree that it is our concern 

 to work for the safety, honour, and welfare of 

 the adventurous scientific workers. So far we have 

 heard too much of the rights of the financial interests 

 concerned to work out their own salvation with monev 

 provided largely by the State, but very little of the 

 rights of the scientific workers to safeguard their own 

 interests. We wish to be assured that the leading- 

 spirit in the adventure is sufficiently well advised to 

 guide him in his choice of officers for this armv of 

 truth-seekers, and that his army is not defeated by 

 ignorance, mishandled by an unsympathetic staff, or 

 starved to feed the parasites of science. 



.\. G. Church, 



Secretary. 



National Union of Scientific Workers, 

 rq Tothill Street, Westminster, Lon- 

 don, S.W.I, May 31. 



The Great Red Spot on Jupiter. 



When this remarkable object came into striking 

 prominence and attracted general observation in 1878, 

 the rate of its rotation period was slightly increasing, 

 and it continued to increase until the end of the cen- 

 tury. Then in the early part of 190 1 a large irregular 

 spot appeared in the south tropical zone of Jupiter. This 

 new feature, moving swifter than the red spot to the 

 extent of about 23 seconds per rotation, soon affected 

 the motion of the latter by accelerating its rate as it 

 overtook it, and this influence has been repeated prior 

 to the seven occasions on which the two objects have 

 been in conjunction during the last twenty years. 



The rate of rotation indicated by the red spot_ has, 

 in fact, been a verv variable feature in recent times, 

 and the marking named has exhibited an increased 

 velocitv and a shortening period. In the years from 

 1894 to 1901 the mean period was qh. 55m. 4i-3s., but 

 in the last eight years it has been 9h. 55m. 35-78. 



I have shown the innual differences in Fig. i, and 

 the rate of rotation determined each year I have also 

 tabulated for inspection and comparison : 



1878 

 1879 

 1880 

 1881 

 1882 

 1883 

 1884 

 1885 

 1886 

 1887 

 1888 

 1889 

 1890 

 189 1 

 1892 



1893 

 1894 

 189.^ 

 1896 

 1897 

 1898 



9 55 



41-6 

 414 



39.6* 

 402 



39-7* 

 41.2 



39-5* 



39.6* 



403^ 



37-4* 



37-4 



37-2^ 



34.8* 



35-5 

 3^:5 

 36^4 

 345^ 



3'3-7* 

 35-S 



