164 



NATURE 



[April 20, 19 16 



numbers of dyestuffs used, and would hamper the 

 operations of vendors of proprietary, and often 

 comparatively valueless, colour mixtures now 

 offered to the dyer. 



Curiously enough, two important topics seem 

 almost to have escaped discussion in the present 

 reprint; very little is said as to how the new 

 American industry is to advance, and as to the 

 way in which a supply of technically-trained 

 chemists is to be obtained. Perhaps it is pre- 

 mature to expect any comprehensive scheme 

 which leads into the unknown future of chemical 

 technical development at a time when the 

 American textile industry is so grievously 

 smitten by the sudden stoppage of dyestuff im- 

 ports; it is, however, to be noted that the estab- 

 lishment of a coal-tar industry must, to be suc- 

 cessful, carry with it the development of many 

 congruent manufactures relating to medicine, 

 photography, and other arts and sciences depen- 

 dent upon organic chemistry. The other point, 

 as to the provision of technically-trained organic 

 chemists, was merely mentioned by Dr. T. M. 

 Bogert, and with the statement that assistance is 

 required in the shape of grants to universities and 

 colleges. 



This latter is a question which has been fre- 

 quently considered and discussed with us. British 

 Governments and municipalities have expended 

 vast sums for the purpose of aiding the technical 

 industries ; whether the expenditure has been 

 justified by the results is extremely doubtful. 

 When any body of teachers, keenly interested 

 and highly competent in its work, feels its activi- 

 ties cramped by lack of funds, and formulates a 

 practical scheme for useful development, it has 

 perforce to pass the scheme on to some higher 

 authority less acquainted with the subject at issue 

 but nearer the source of means. This latter body 

 hands the matter with appropriate explanations 

 to still higher, and ever less learned, authorities 

 until the real, but sublimely ignorant, fountain 

 head is reached and authorises the expenditure 

 of money under conditions which do not neces- 

 sarily make for efficiency. The required grant is 

 obtained, not by the convincing force of ' argu- 

 ment, but by the melting power of cajolery. 

 Manufacturers who require technical assistance, 

 and the colleges and universities which are pre- 

 pared to train the men, must surely learn to rely 

 upon their own efforts rather than upon possible 

 money grants extracted from non-academic 

 governing bodies. Money is undoubtedly re- 

 quired to assist our educational Institutions to 

 turn out large numbers of men capable of useful 

 work in the development of our technical indus- 

 tries, but it Is questionable whether the present 

 recognised methods for obtaining and using the 

 money are efficient. 



In this connection it may be recalled that Dr. 

 W. H. Perkin, the professor of chemistry In the 

 University of Oxford, insisted In his presidential 

 address to the Chemical Society last year upon 

 the necessity for the presentation of a thesis on 

 original research by candidates for an Honours 

 degree In science in our universities. It may 

 NO. 2425, VOL. 97] 



I safely be asserted that the translation into prac 

 tice of this view would do more for the develop 



I ment of the chemical industries in Great Britair 

 than all the deputations which have been sent tt 

 Cabinet Ministers and all the discussions whicl 

 have taken place on possible methods of stimu 

 lating chemical technology. 



W. J. Pope. 



THE PROPOSED BOARD OF 

 AERONAUTICS. 

 A ERONAUTICS has, somewhat suddenly, be- 

 -^*- come a subject for public debate, and a 

 serious request has been put forward for an Ah 

 Ministry to control the whole of the aeronautica 

 supplies and hand over the products to the Arm) 

 and Navy. It Is perhaps a little unfortunate thai 

 the Zeppelin raids occupy so much of the discus- 

 sion, for the military value of aeronautics in the 

 present war Is least evident in the case of the 

 raids. 



In order to appreciate the position, it is neces- 

 sary to realise that the resources of aeronautical 

 Industry are not so great that all possible supplies 

 can be obtained fully and quickly. Germany con- 

 centrated on rigid airships and obtained a 

 supremacy in airships, whilst the Allies, and par- 

 ticularly Britain, placed their confidence In aero- 

 planes and gained a supremacy there, which, 

 although not so absolute as that of Germany in 

 airships, is of far greater military importance. 

 Aeronautics Is still very young, and Is growing 

 rapidly ; anyone who, three years ago, had pre- 

 dicted the flight of many hundreds of aeroplanes 

 for several hours of each day of the year would 

 have been looked upon by the general observe ! 

 as a dreamer. Is It surprising, therefore, that no;; 

 a single belligerent foresaw what has happened 

 Without endorsing the claims that the Air Se 

 vice will ultimately be more important than th 

 Navy or Army, It does appear that the develoj 

 ment of aeronautics has already reached a stage ' 

 which an Air Board must be contemplated. 



Up to the present time the Navy and Army ha\ 

 had independent Air Departments, both of vvhk 

 have made use of private enterprise for the suppl 

 of aeroplanes. Experimental work on a larg 

 scale has been carried out, and detailed design 

 of machines proposed for manufacture In quantit 

 have been produced by the Royal Aircraft Fac 

 tory. The reproduction of machines to thes 

 designs has been largely the work of private con 

 structors, v ho have also m.ade machines to thei 

 own design, approved forms of which have bee 

 accepted into the" Services. Both Air Depar 

 ment J have had the assistance of the Advisor 

 Committee for Aeronautics, a scientific body cor 

 trolling the aeronautical research at the Natlom 

 Physical Laboratory. A report on the work c 

 this Committee was published annually until th- 

 outbreak of war. The organisation outline 

 above came Into existence in 1909, and prepare 

 the way for the extremely rapid growth Cf 

 aviation in the last two or three years. j 



Recently a new Committee was formed under tl! 



