434 



NATURE 



[July 20, 19 16 



I believe, however, that within the lifetime of most, 

 if not all, of us we shall see such extensions of in- 

 dustrial research as will make all that we now have 

 in mind seem insignificant, and it is because I believe 

 so strongly in the importance of the subject that I 

 have endeavoured to collect some impressions on the 

 subject and to bring them before you this evening. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



London. — At the assembly of faculties of University 

 College on July 6, Dr. G. Carey Foster in the chair, 

 the provost's report on the session 1915-16 was read. 

 In addition to the services rendered in the Navy and 

 Army by members of the college, laboratory and 

 workshop accommodation has been utilised for various 

 forms of war work. It is not permitted to give 

 detailed particulars of the work done ; but the de- 

 partments that, from the nature of their work, have 

 been particularly active are those of physics, chemistry, 

 physiology, pharmacology, applied statistics and 

 eugenics, and all the departments of the faculty of 

 engineering. The effect of the war upon the college 

 finances has been a cause of grave anxiety. This has 

 been to some extent mitigated by a grant from the 

 Treasury of 10,500^. and by the economies that it has 

 been possible to introduce owing to the unsparing 

 efforts of members of the academic staff in this direc- 

 tion, and owing also to the friendly co-operation of 

 other London colleges, more especially King's and 

 Bediord Colleges. The chief domestic event of the 

 year is the occupation of the new chemistry labora- 

 tories. They are well on the road towards completion, 

 but much equipment is still needed, and can only be 

 provided as the means are forthcoming. Towards the 

 sum of 20,oooZ. still required for this purpose, the bene- 

 factor. Sir Ralph Forster, to whom the college is 

 largely indebted for the new chemistry buildings, has 

 promised a sum of 5000Z. provided the balance of 

 15,000/. is speedily subscribed. 



The Executive Committee of the Household and 

 Social Science Department of King's College 

 for Women has appointed Miss Lane-Claypon to be 

 the chief administrative officer of the department 

 under the committee, with the title of dean. This 

 office will be combined with that of lecturer on hygiene. 

 The committee has decided upon this new appointment 

 with the view of meeting the rapidly growing needs of 

 the department. Dr. Lane-Claypon, w^ho is at present 

 an officer of the Local Government Board, will take 

 up her duties next session. 



Manchester. — The total number of students in all 

 faculties for the session just concluded was 1165. In 

 the sessions 1913-14 and 1914-15 the numbers were 

 1654 and 1415 respectively. The list of past and 

 present members of the university serving with H.M. 

 Forces in the war, or engaged in approved war 

 service, now numbers more than 1300. The number 

 of past or present members of the university killed 

 in action, died through the war, or reported missing 

 has now reached qo. 



Manv of the departments of the university 

 have been able to render special scientific service, 

 both advisory and experimental, in connection 

 with the war. Prof. Petavel is a member of 

 the Government Advisory Committee on Aero- 

 nautics, and all the work now being done in 

 the department of engineering under his direction has 

 a bearing upon war problems, and is being placed 

 at the service of the Government. Prof. Dixon has 

 been appointed deputy-inspector of high explosives for 



NO. 2438, VOL. 97] 



the Manchester area, and all the high explosives 

 manufactured in the district are tested in the uni- 

 versity chemical laboratory. Prof. Lapworth has been 

 authorised by the Ministry of Munitions to conduct 

 a number ot war researches, and a staff has been 

 organised in his department for testing tars made 

 in various gasworKs in ihe country. I'rof. Edwards 

 and his assistants in the metallurgy department have 

 been fully engaged in testing work for the Admiralty. 



Sir E. Rutherford is a member of the Board of 

 Investigation and Research of the .Admiralty, and 

 special investigations are in progress in the physics 

 department dealing with the problems that engage 

 the attention of that Board. The testing of optical 

 instruments for the Ministry of Munitions is also 

 carried on in that department. 



In the school of technology a large staf? of teachers 

 and students is engaged in various kinds of work 

 for the Ministry of "Munitions and other departments 

 of the Government. 



Prof. Chapman has been appointed by the Board 

 of Trade, and Profs. Calder and Dickie by the Admi- 

 ralty, for special service in these Government depart- 

 ments. War work is also being conducted in the 

 botany department for the Royal Aircraft Factory, 

 and by Prof. Beattie in the department of electro- 

 technics. 



The women teachers and students have organised 

 two \.A. detachments of the Red Cross Society, and 

 have been engaged in other forrhs of work for the 

 relief of the sick and wounded soldiers in the Man- 

 chester hospitals. 



Several of the elementary schools having been taken 

 over for military hospitals, the museum committee, 

 in consultation with the education authorities, has 

 made arrangements for classes of students to be given 

 in the natural history and Egyptology departments 

 of the museum. By this arrangement effective in- 

 struction is provided for 900 to 1000 children per week 

 in the museum. 



The next general meeting of the Association of 

 Public School Science Masters will be held at Eton, 

 under the presidency of Prof. H. H. Turner, on 

 January 3 and 4, 1917- 



The trustees of the Beit Fellowships for Scientific 

 Research, which were founded and endowed three 

 years ago by Mr. Otto Beit, in order to promote the 

 advancement of science by means of research, have 

 elected to fellowships for 1916-17 : Mr. H. N. Walsh, 

 Cork (extension for a second year) ; Mr. W. A. 

 Haward, Tufnell Park ; and Mr. C. C. Smith, Bristol. 

 The three Fellows will carry on their respective re- 

 searches in the Imperial College of Science and 

 Technology. 



The issue of the Times for July 15 gives some par- 

 ticulars of a meeting on July 6 between the parents 

 of bovs at twenty-six of the principal public schools 

 and a committee of public school headmasters. The 

 attitude taken up by some of the headmasters showed 

 a misapprehension of the claims made by the cham- 

 pions of the value of a training in science in the 

 education of all. To study science is not of necessity 

 to become materialistic, and science and materialism 

 are not by any means synonymous terms, though one 

 headmaster argued as if they were. The man of science 

 values as much as others high-mindedness and real 

 character, but he urges that these may be secured side 

 by side with an acquaintance with modern science and 

 general efficiency. The headmaster of Harrow ex- 

 plained that in his school all boys are compelled as 



