SCIENCE, INDUSTRY, AND EDUCATION 



to this unique occasion in our country's history that I 

 place on record here a few sentences of special pertinence 

 and value. The Prince said : 



" I am glad that my first duty as a Fellow of the Royal 

 Society should be to join with my distinguished brethren 

 in opening this Institution, the direction and administration 

 of which have been entrusted to the Society by the Govern- 

 ment. It is also a great pleasure to assist in the inaugura- 

 tion of what may fairly be called a new departure, for I 

 believe that in the National Physical Laboratory we have 

 almost the first instance of the State taking part in scientific 

 research. The object of the scheme is, I understand, to 

 bring scientific knowledge to bear practically upon our 

 everyday industrial and commercial life, to break down 

 the barrier between theory and practice, to effect a union 

 between science and commerce. This afternoon's ceremony 

 is not merely a meeting of the representatives of an ancient 

 and world-renowned scientific Society for the purpose of 

 taking over a new theatre of investigation and research. 

 Is it not more than this ? Does it not show in a very 

 practical way that the nation is beginning to recognise 

 that if her commercial supremacy is to be maintained, 

 greater facilities must be given for furthering the applica- 

 tion of science to commerce and manufacture ? In the 

 profession to which I am proud to belong, there are, perhaps, 

 special opportunities of gaining a certain insight into the 

 general trade and commerce of the world, and of com- 

 paring the commercial vitality of the different countries. 



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