June 3, 1920] 



NAl URE 



425 



been obliged to adjust their prices in accordance with 

 the rate of exchange for each country to which they 

 export, and for our country their prices are at present 

 100 per cent, on average above pre-war EngHsh prices. 

 The wages in the Cierman optical industry have in- 

 creased more than 400 per cent., and are likely to 

 rise still higher. Opticians and mechanics earning the 

 equivalent of is. per hour before the war now receive 

 5s. 6d. and have a working week of forty-eight hours. 

 They are living in a state of semi-starvation, passing 

 through an experience at present much worse than any- 

 thing we endured in the war, and unless foodstuffs are 

 sent from England and America the Germans may 

 be forced to conditions similar to those experienced 

 by them during the last two years of war, until the 

 next harvest provides better supplies. The low value 

 of German money makes it exceedingly difficult for 

 manufacturers to import raw materials. Many iron 

 and steel works are closed for want of coal, and most 

 of the coal delivered from the mines is what our 

 miners call "dust." The French take the coal and 

 leave the rubbish, "which is good enough for the 

 Germans." Motor lorries are standing idle for want 

 of petrol or benzol ; and, for transport, horses are 

 employed instead. Manufacturers do not pay a per- 

 centage on excess profits, but have to deliver up the 

 whole of these profits to the State. 



I fully appreciate the question which Mr. Baker 

 raises in his letter appearing in Nature of May 20 : 

 "The rate of exchange makes the prices seem low 

 as compared with those in this country, but can 

 Prof. Bayliss obtain delivery at the low prices?" 

 Having spent sjx weeks recently in the German 

 interior and purchased a considerable quantity of 

 optical apparatus, I found it impossible to get the 

 goods exported to England at the rate of exchange, 

 but had to pay English prices in English money ; 

 also it was necessary to obtain licences from the 

 German Government before goods could be exported. 



The foregoing statements indicate briefly some of 

 the conditions prevailing in the scientific apparatus 

 trade in Germany, and there is evidence of their 

 having to continue for a very considerable period. 



I believe our manufacturers have had the oppor- 

 tunity of a lifetime since the armistice, and there 

 is still time to reorganise British workshops to com- 

 pete successfully with foreigners without State aid, 

 but with courage, capital, and enterprise. 



The proposed Anti-dumping Bill is a misnomer. 

 There is no dumping done in scientific apparatus in 

 our country, and never has been any. We could pro- 

 duce quality equal to or better than that of any other 

 nation if we set ourselves to the task. One example 

 during the war — the best aerial photographic lenses 

 were made bv an English firm. Germany came 

 second. The tests were made by disinterested officials 

 in the Roval Air Force. ' J. W. Ogilvy. 



Hill View, Westerham Hill, Kent, Mav 25. , 



The letters from manufacturers on the subject of 

 the supply of scientific instruments are interesting and 

 fairly unanimous, but appear to me to miss the whole 

 point of the situation. That is, that after five years' 

 freedom from competition our manufacturers cannot 

 in manv classes of scientific instruments compete suc- 

 cessfully with German firms. 



H the rate of exchange is the cause of the importa- 

 tion of German instruments, what is the cause of 

 hundreds of American microscopes and lenses being 

 sold during and after the war with the rate of exchange 

 adverse to us? The Germans are selling their goods 

 in England at current English rates and above, ypt 

 find a ready sale. .\t first, it is true, some individuals 



NO. 2640, VOL. 105] 



smuggled in German instruments at mark rates, but 

 as soon as the extent of the demand was realised, 

 German firms put up their export rates to 60-100 per 

 cent, above pre-war rates, to be paid in English 

 money, and by some firms payment in advance is 

 insisted upon. This is more than confirmed by 

 Messrs. Bellingham and Stanley in their letter. What 

 more do our manufacturers want? 



The German goods are sold simply because they are 

 superior to similar goods produced at reasonable 

 prices in Britain. Mr. B. H. Morphy and Mr. C. Baker 

 state that this was the case before the war, and most 

 scientific workers will tell them that it is so still. 



One firm complains of a voluntary hospital buying 

 apparatus cheaper abroad, and thinks that an English 

 firm should have been given the contract at higher 

 rates. Whose money is to do this? I hope that the 

 voluntary subscribers would protest against their 

 money being paid to subsidise British manufacturers. 



A small concrete example of what actually occurs 

 may not be out of place. A German diamond object 

 marker before the war cost 10 marks. Early this year 

 I sent to a leading firm of British opticians for one. It 

 arrived, but was absolutely useless, having no spring 

 safety device and no means of screw adjustment, both 

 present in the German one. It cost il. los. Months 

 later, with considerable trouble, I procured from 

 Messrs. Leitz, of Germany, the pre-war article at 

 100 per cent, advance, namely, il. The German 

 article was bought because it was superior, not 

 because it was clieaper. 



It should be borne in mind that some scientific 

 articles, e.g. photographic plates, can be produced 

 well and cheaplv here, and need not fear German 

 competition. If, as Mr. Baker states, the profit 

 on other classes of goods is too small, why not allow 

 them to be imoorted from Ciermany? 



Glasgow, Mav 21. J. S. Dunkerly. 



Cost of Scientific Publications. 



Like other societies which exist mainly for the 

 publication of the results of scientific research, the 

 Royal Society of Edinburgh finds its activities greatly 

 hampered by the present cost of publication. The 

 statements contained in the leader in Nature of May 6 

 and in the correspondence which has followed it are 

 fully borne out by the experience of this soci^y. 

 Taking into account all present sources of income and 

 all necessary expenses, it may safely be said that/the 

 output of scientific literature must be cut dow^ to 

 fully one-third of what it was in pre-war days. 



The point to be emphasised is that publication of 

 scientific results is absolutely necessary for the true 

 development of science. 'A year and a half ago the 

 council of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, on realising 

 the seriousness of the situation, appealed to the 

 Chancellor of the Exchequer for an increase in the 

 annual grant solely in the interest of scientific pub- 

 lication. The appeal was unsuccessful, but in reply 

 the Chancellor of the Exchequer stated that " he would 

 be readv to reconsider the question along with other 

 similar claims when the financial situation is more 

 favourable." 



It certainly seems necessary that suffering societies 

 which publish original memoirs should take steps to 

 press on the attention of the nation and on the con- 

 science of the Government this consideration in^ the 

 interest of scientific investigation, viz. the provision 

 of adequate funds for the publication of the* results 

 of research. C. G. Knott, 



General Secretary. 



Royal Societv of Edinburgh, 



22 George Street, May 31. 



