November 13, 19 19] 



NATURE 



285 



met in London to standardise, for those nations 

 participating, some of the fundamental constants 

 and relations on which the applications of elec- 

 trical science to industry depend. Nature 

 throughout its career has stood in the first place for 

 pure science, and since most of the important applica- 

 tions of science to industry have grown from the dis- 

 coveries of the worker in pure science, I recognise 

 the high standard of Nature's work and of its ideals, 

 and hope that both may long continue in the same 

 happy combination. 



North-East Coast Institution of Engineers and Ship- 

 builders. President : Mr. A. Ernest Doxford. — I have 

 the greatest pleasure in congratulating Nature upon 

 the attainment of its fiftieth birthday. Throughout 

 the past half-century the journal has maintained its 

 character as the organ of workers in fields where 

 science is studied mainly for its own sake, and has 

 refused to sacrifice accuracy to the demands of what 

 is understood as "popular" science. It is a healthy 

 sign that the periodical should be so prosperous, 

 testifying to the existence of a constant and active 

 desire for British scientific literature of a high 

 standard. I sincerely wish continued prosperity to 

 the good work which Nature is undoubtedly doing. 

 The development of the journal along its present lines 

 cannot but be beneficial to scientific progress. 



Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland. 

 President : Dk. T. Blackwood Murray. — As presi- 

 dent of the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders 

 in Scotland, allow me to express our congratulations 

 on the occasion of the jubilee of Nature. While 

 perhaps the journal, dealing as it does largely with 

 questions of pure science, may be said to be at the 

 extreme pole from that occupied by the intensely prac- 

 tical applications of science which form the life- 

 occupation of us engineers, still I think every day it 

 is being more and more realised that it is largely 

 due to the pioneer in pure science that we owe all 

 modern developments in engineering. The worker 

 in pure science may be likened to the explorer 

 making excursions into virgin country, while we 

 follow along after as the builders of towns and 

 founders of industry. The day has passed when the 

 practical engineer was inclined to scoff at science 

 and theory, and was too prone to point to apparent 

 contradictions of practice as against theory. Nowa- 

 days no engineer can hope to succeed unless he takes 

 advantage of all that science can teach him. It there- 

 fore gives me much pleasure to take this opportunity 

 of wishing Nature continued prosperity. 



Faraday Society. President : Sir Robert Hadfield, 

 Bart., F.R.S. — It is with much pleasure I learn of the ■ 

 jubilee of N.\ture — a publication which has done so ; 

 much in the past to assist science and scientific develop- i 

 ment ; in fact, its name has been a household word 

 throughout the world. I should like to offer my best 

 wishes for the future success of this valuable aid to those 

 who strive to promote science and scientific interests. 

 There never has been a time in the history of our 

 nation when it was more desirable that the best 

 possible stimulus should be afforded to those who 

 guide the destinies of the British Empire in educa- 

 tional matters, especially matters relating to science 

 NO. 261 1, VOL. 104] 



and its development, which surely in the near future 

 will have its proper position allotted to it in our 

 Government Departments and establishments. It has 

 been well said that, of developments in such Depart- 

 ments, Science is the "Cinderella." It is therefore 

 to be hoped that steps will be taken to remedy this 

 crying injustice, which is so damaging to the true 

 interests of the nation. 



Geological Society. President : Mr. G. W. Lamplugh, 

 F.R.S.— During the past fifty years Nature has faith- 

 fully mirrored for us the advance of science all along 

 the line, and epitomised and discussed the new 

 results, both observational and speculative. It has en- 

 abled the individual worker to keep in touch with the 

 main currents of progress in branches other than his 

 own; moreover, it has served him as a general 

 chronicler of happenings in the sphere of science, and 

 has gratified his desire to know something about the 

 personality of the leading investigators, past and 

 present. I congratulate the Editor on the sustained 

 skill with which the complex task has been accom- 

 plished, and I look forward with confidence to its 

 successful continuance. 



Illuminating Engineering Society. President : Mr. A. P. 

 Trotter. — Maxwell, at the British Association meeting 

 in the year after Nature first appeared, referred to the 

 reciprocal effects of the progress of science. "When 

 the student has become acquainted with several 

 different sciences, he finds that the mathematical pro- 

 cesses and trains of reasoning in one science resemble 

 those in another so much that his knowledge of the 

 one science may be made a most useful help in the 

 study of the others." The expansion of all branches 

 of science in these fifty years has compelled most of 

 us to specialise, not in one branch, but in a bough or 

 a twig of the tree of knowledge. The pages of 

 Nature have enabled this broad acquaintance to be 

 made and this useful help to be rendered, not only 

 between mathematics and physics, but also between 

 all the natural sciences. 



Institute of Journalists (Scientific and Technical 

 Circle). Chairman: Mr. Leon Gaster. — I gladly 

 take this opportunity of congratulating Nature on 

 the attainment of its jubilee, and expressing my 

 great appreciation of the work it has done, and 

 is doing, for the promotion of science and the 

 encouragement of education. Nature in many 

 respects occupies a unique position. It speaks with 

 an authority on scientific matters that is unrivalled ; 

 it has been fortunate in enlisting the help of experts 

 in every field of science; and its treatment of subjects 

 is invariably up to date. At the same time its outlook 

 is sufficiently broad for it to interest many persons 

 outside strictly scientific circles, and thus to promote 

 that general appreciation of the value of science which 

 is so essential in these times. I am sure that this 

 useful record of work, extending for fifty years, has 

 established the position of Nature as a permanent 

 and indispensable publication in the interests of the 

 advancement of science. 



Linnean Society. President: Dr. A. Smith Wood- 

 ward, F.R.S. — The president and council of the 

 Linnean Society desire to associate themselves in the 

 congratulations due to the Editor and publishers of 



