GERMAN SCIENCE 115 
- German industry, taken as a whole, exhibits a vastly greater 
and more effective application of science than our own. 
It will be obvious to you that my account of science in 
Germany has been very partial and imperfect. The whole 
subject is, of course, far too large for one man and one hour. 
I have chosen to speak of the science with which I have some 
acquaintance. But I believe I am warranted in saying of all 
science, that there exists in Germany the same regard for it 
as for' chemistry. It is believed in for its own worth as 
knowledge; it gains the suffrages of the people and abounding 
support from the State. It is regarded as the ally and not 
the enemy of practice, and it is turned to practical account 
zealously in every way for the furtherance of material well- 
being. 7 
Things are by no means so in England. We have, as I 
have said, no lack of scientific genius. We have, and have 
had, great men who initiate, men whose discoveries mark 
epochs in the progress of scientific knowledge, men often 
more celebrated in Germany than they are here. Many of 
the ideas for the application of science to industry have come 
from Englishmen, many of the industrial applications have 
begun here. But the belief in science either for its own value 
or for its material usefulness is greatly lacking. 
Science in Britain derives splendid support from certain 
units and sections of the manufacturing world, but, broadly 
speaking, the manufacturing world is not behind it and does 
not use it as it might. I dislike nothing more than from my 
position inside a university to seem to speak disrespectfully 
of our leaders of industry. It is apt to be resented and it may 
do more harm than good, but it is sometimes a duty to be 
disagreeable, and I feel I should be keeping something back 
that you are entitled to hear if I did not tell you that it has 
happened repeatedly to me in my life to see individual in- 
dustrial undertakings languish and sink when they might 
P2 
