THE ADVANCE OF SCIENCE 153 



It is more agreeable to me not to dwell further on the 

 comparative failure of science to gain increased influence 

 and support in this country, but to mention some in- 

 stances on the other side of the account. As long ago as 

 1842 the British Association took over and developed an 

 observatory in the Deer Park at Kew, which was placed 

 at the disposal of the Association by Her Majesty the 

 Queen. Until 1871 the Association spent annually a large 

 part of its income as much in later years as 6ool. a year 

 in carrying on the work of the Kew Observatory, consist- 

 ing of magnetic, meteorological and physical observations. 

 In 1871 the Association handed over the Observatory to 

 the Royal Society, which had received an endowment of 

 io,ooo/. from Mr. Gassiot for its maintenance, and had 

 further devoted to that purpose considerable sums from 

 its own Donation Fund and Government Grant. Further 

 aid for it was also received from private sources. From 

 this Observatory at last has sprung, in the beginning of 

 the present century, the National Physical Laboratory in 

 Bushey Park, a fine and efficient scientific institution, 

 built and supported by grants from the State, and 

 managed by a committee of really devoted men of science 

 who are largely representatives of the Royal Society. In 

 addition to the value of the site and buildings occupied 

 by the National Physical Laboratory, the Government 

 has contributed altogether 34,000^. to the capital expendi- 

 ture on new buildings, fittings, and apparatus, and has 

 further assigned a grant of 6,ooo/. a year to the working 

 of the laboratory. This institution all men of science are 

 truly glad to have gained from the State, and they will 

 remember with gratitude the statesmen the late Marquis 

 of Salisbury, the Right Hon. Arthur J. Balfour, Mr. Hal- 

 dane, and others as well as their own leaders Lord 

 Rayleigh, Sir William Huggins, and the active body of 



