July 17, 1919] 



NATURE 



385 



altered in such a manner that the change in magnetic 

 field due to the electron is opposed in direction to the 

 magnetic field in which it is placed. The orbit thus 

 behaves like a diamagnetic body, and on this fact is 

 based Prof. Langevin's theory of the fact that in weak 

 fields most bodies are diamagnetic. On the other 

 hand, if I understand rightly, according to Prof. Righi 

 the effect of introducing the orbit into the magnetic 

 field is to change the radius, but not the angular 

 velocity, and in such a manner that the change in the 

 field due to the orbit is in the same direction as that 

 of the field in which it is placed. The orbit behaves 

 like a paramagnetic body, and it Would seem to follow- 

 that all bodies should be paramagnetic. The two 

 views are irreconcilable, and — again unless I have 

 misunderstood Prof. Righi — either he or Prof. Lange- 

 vin must be wrong. I suggested that if he thinks 

 Prof. Langevin is wrong, he should have explained 

 whv he thinks so ; or if he thinks his view is not in- 

 consistent with that of Prof. Langevin, he should 

 have told us how he removes the apparent incon- 

 sistency. 



In self-defence, perhaps I may add that I do not 

 think that a diamagnetic body orientates itself in a 

 j.miform field, and that I never suggested in any way 

 that 1 thought so. 



T mutt refrain (in the same manner as Prof. Righi) 

 from noticing his last paragraph. I cannot imagine 

 why he should read into my words such implications. 

 I meant nothing but that "the style of the book was 

 admirable, that il was very refreshing to see a well- 

 produced book once more, but that, in my opinion, 

 the excellence of the production did not compensate 

 for the absence of an index. 



i\nd as for mv anonymity, I venture to Relieve that 

 most English physicists would identify me from mv 

 initials ; at any' rate, they would recognise ^ that 

 the writer was not one of the small and distinguished 

 band who could claim scientific precedence of Prof. 

 Righi. But in order that any doubts as to my com- 

 petence or incompetence may be removed, I beg leave 

 now to sign mvself Norman R. Campbell. 



Kettlewell, May iqiq. 



The Collection and Presentation of Public Statistics. 



It is a matter of common knowledge to all who 

 have had occasion to use ofllicial statistics, whether 

 published or Departmental, that the national and 

 Imperial equipment for obtaining and publishing 

 statistical data is very imperfect in its scope and 

 inadequate in its machinery. 



Further, the efforts made are Departmental, are 

 under no common controlling or directing authority, 

 and suffer very gravely from lack of co-ordination. 



There is no' need to adduce proofs of these state- 

 ments, or to enumerate the various efforts, fruitless 

 in the main, which have hitherto been made to remedy 

 these defects. 



The council of the Royal Statistical Society has 

 appointed a special committee to deal with the sub- 

 ject in the belief that the time is now ripe for a new 

 movement in the direction of reform, and that the 

 consciousness of the existing defects is present to the 

 ininds of his Majesty's Ministers, Members of Parlia- 

 ment, and Civil Servants, as well as to others in- 

 terested in statistics. 



It is proposed to petition his Majesty's Government 

 to set up a Parliamentary Committee to examine the 

 whole question of the collection and presentation of 

 public statistics, and to report on means of improve- 

 ment. It is believed that this method of procedure 

 is more likely to be effective than the pressing of 

 specific proposals on his Majesty's Ministers. 



NO. 2594, VOL. 103] 



The officers of the local government and other 

 public bodies, as well as of scientific societies, are 

 being invited to bring the matter at once before their 

 councils. Moreover, publicists and others who are 

 known to be interested are being approached directly. 



We ask the courtesy of your columns to lend sup- 

 port to this movement, and we invite your readers to 

 help with their influence and signatures. The council 

 will be glad if all who are disposed to sign such a 

 petition would communicate with the Secretary, 

 Official Statistics Committee, Royal Statistical 

 Society, 9 Adelphi Terrace, W.C.2. A copy of the 

 petition will then in due course be sent to them for 

 signature. Geoffrey Drage, 



Chairman, Official Statistics Committee. 



Roval Statistical Society, g Adelphi Terrace, 

 Strand, London, W.C.2, July 10. 



THE FISHERIES AND SCIENTIFIC 

 RESEARCH. 



THERE has been quite unexpected confusion 

 of counsel with regard to post-war reorgan- 

 isation of the fishing industry. The collapse of 

 the German submarine campaign about the middle 

 of last year left everyone grateful to the fishermen 

 and wondering what ought to be done for them 

 in the future. That feeling "created an atmo- 

 sphere," and a number of inquiries began. First 

 of all, the English trawler owners anticipated the 

 end of hostilities, and had a scheme of recon- 

 struction ready by the time the Armistice had 

 been granted. This attracted the attention of 

 Lord Ernie, but did not succeed in impressing 

 the War Cabinet (who had by then "other fish 

 I to fry "). The Scottish Steam Drifters' Associa- 

 I tion was equally ready with its scheme, and about 

 ! the same time appeared the report of the Haldane 

 j Committee on the Machinery of Government, with 

 its proposals for the creation of a State Depart- 

 ment of Research, which was to take account of 

 fisheries. Next came an inquiry by a committee 

 of the British Science Guild, and then the delibera- 

 tions of the National Sea Fisheries Protection 

 Association (which are still going on). The sub- 

 committees of the association began to prepare 

 proposals for scientific research, education, and 

 codification of the law. Following that, the 

 Development Commissioners appointed a com- 

 mittee to advise them as to the best way in which 

 research could be promoted. As if all this were 

 not enough, the International Research Council 

 has now arranged to meet in Brussels on July 18, 

 and it is expected that interesting matters 

 with relation to the exploration and fisheries of 

 northern seas will be discussed. 



Meanwhile, the conditions are very much what 

 were anticipated in the memorandum prese:nted to 

 Lord Ernie last year. Fish is scarce and dear in 

 the retail shops, and abundant and cheap at the 

 ports of landing, for the means of transport have 

 largely broken down. Exporting has become 

 difficult even with Government guarantees. There 

 is no scientific research yet, and no simplification 

 of the administrative procedure. Nothing has 

 been done for the fishermen, the Admiralty scheme 



