DISCOVERY 



A MONTHLY POPULAR 

 JOURNAL or KNO^VLEDGE 



So. 3. MARCH 1920. 



PRICE 6d. NET. 



A Monthly Popular Journal of Know- 



DISCOVERY. 



;dge. 



Edited by A. S. Russell, M.C, D.Sc, 8 Severn Road, 

 iheffield, to whom all Editorial Communications should be 

 ddressed. 



Published by John Murray, 50A Albemarle Street, 

 ^ndon, W.I, to whom all Business Communications 

 hould be addressed. 



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Editorial Notes 



rHE reception which the reading public has given 

 )ur first two numbers has been a very good one, and 

 IS encouraging to all those of us who wish the journal 

 to take the place among periodicals which we hope 

 it should occupy. To those readers who have sent 

 us helpful advice and criticism we are very much 

 indebted, and as soon cis possible, we feel we should 

 like to put all their good suggestions into practice. 

 * « * * * 



Murmurs of dissent, fortunately enough, have been 

 almost entirely absent, but there is nevertheless one 

 point that has worried several of our correspondents 

 which it may be well to clear up. It is suggested 

 that we were indiscreet in describing, in the first 

 number, operations of offensive and defensive warfare 

 which might conceivably be used by such enemies 

 as we may possess " in the next war." It is a good 

 point, and it needs an answer. The answer is that no 

 secrets or facts of the slightest tactical importance 

 were disclosed in either of the two articles cited. 

 The actual dry facts on which both articles were 

 based have long ago been made public. They are 

 well-known facts in chemistry and physics, the know- 

 ledge of which is common property. It is true, of 

 course, that there are many secret processes and 

 " stunts " about which the less said the better. It 



should be realised, however, that many of these real 

 secrets were communicated to our Allies during the 

 war, so that their co-operation with us might be more 

 effective. These Allies, then, know more of our own 

 secrets than do our general public, so that, if any of 

 our late AUies should be enemies " in the next war," 

 the secrets are out and the mischief is done. 

 ***** 

 An important book ' dealing with the relation of 

 discoveries to general life has been recently published, 

 and deserves general attention. Professor Soddy 

 deals with the effects of discoveries, particularly in 

 natural science, upon national greatness and pros- 

 perity, upon peace and war, on education and Univer- 

 sity ideals, and on human belief. Part of the book is 

 controversial in character, and all the conclusions 

 reached will not command universal acceptance ; but 

 the sincerity and vigour with which the author puts 

 forward the need for discoveries, and for the better 

 recognition and treatment by the commonwealth 

 of those who make them, is the important thing about 



the book. 



***** 



The main argument of the book is this : At the 

 bottom of all our material development is our know- 

 ledge and control of the inanimate world. This 

 knowledge and this control, however it may be dis- 

 torted or exploited by men for selfish ends, depends 

 ultimately for its existence on the investigator working 

 in his laboratory. This man works away quietly and 

 patiently, sometimes at great financial sacrifice to 

 himself and often with little public recognition, for 

 the pure love of truth, and the desire to extend the 

 horizons of our knowledge. Men with such ideals, 

 and %vith the necessary brains and energy, when 

 helped by material resources, are the men who make 

 discoveries. Most of these investigations may seem 

 unimportant at the time, but eventually the import- 

 ance of some of them is realised, and some new 

 process in industry, or cure in medicine, or instrument 

 in surgery, or help in the ordinary routine of life, 



' Science and Life, by Frederick Soddy, M.A., F.R.S. (John 

 Murray, los. 6d. net.) 



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