August 3, 19 16] 



NATURE 



463 



to create a separate branch for forestry in the Board 

 of Agriculture to deal with all forestry questions. 

 There should be a Director of Operations, occupying 

 the post of Joint Secretary or Assistant Secretary, to 

 begin with. He should be a duly qualified forest 

 expert, and be assisted by an adequate number of 

 trained inspectors to supervise the field work. Well- 

 considered plans of operations must at once be drawn 

 up for each block, laying down the order of planting, 

 deciding the selection of species to be planted accord- 

 ing to the quality of the soil in each subdivision, 

 drawing up a network of roads for future transport, 

 to be constructed when required, and other matters. 



A NATIONAL STATUTORY BOARD OF 

 SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



WE have received for publication from the 

 British Science Guild the following- memo- 

 randum on the relations which should exist in 

 future between the State and science, and suggest- 

 ing- that a national statutory Board of Science and 

 Industry should be forrned. The memorandum, 

 which has been forwarded to the Government, is 

 signed by some 220 of the most important repre- 

 sentatives of industry, science, and education : — 



The British Science Guild, which was founded in 

 1905 with the object of bringing home to all classes 

 " the necessity of applying the methods of science to 

 all branches of human endeavour, and thus to further 

 the progress and increase the welfare of the Empire," 

 is of opinion that the present European crisis affords 

 a unique opportunity for impressing upon all who are 

 engaged in the executive functions of government, as 

 well as upon those who are concerned with industry 

 and commerce, the paramount importance of scientific 

 method and research in national affairs. 



There has been much discussion upon these matters, 

 and the following conclusions are submitted by the 

 Guild as representing authoritative opinion : — 



A. The material prosperity of the civilised world 

 during the past century is mainly due to the applica- 

 tion of science to practical ends. 



B. While we stand high among all nations in 

 capacity for original research, as represented by the 

 output of our scientific workers, this capacity has 

 been comparatively little utilised in British industry. 



C. The State has neglected to encourage and facili- 

 tate scientific investigation, or to promote that co- 

 operation between science and industry which is essen- 

 tial to national development. 



D. Modern conditions of existence demand that in- 

 struction in science, and training in scientific method, 

 should be a fundamental part of education. 



E. The present control of all stages of educational 

 work, from the primary school to the university, 

 mostly by men who have an inadequate appreciation 

 of the meaning and power of science, is largely resj>on- 

 sible for the unsatisfactory preparation commonly pro- 

 vided for the work of life. 



Since its foundation the British Science Guild has 

 urged that, in the interests of national welfare, 

 serious attention should be given to these defects, and 

 steps taken to remedy them. The establishment of 

 the scheme for the development of scientific and indus- 

 trial research, under a Committee of the Privy Council, 

 is a welcome recognition of the intimate relations be- 

 tween scientific investigation and industrial advance ; 

 and the Advisory Council which advises the Committee 

 as to the expenditure of the sums provided by Parlia- 

 ment, amounting for the year 1916-17 to 40,000!., has 

 alreadj' been responsible for the institution of re- 



NO. 2440, VOL. 97] 



searches which should lead to most valuable industrial 

 results. The outlook of the Council may, however, 

 be extended profitably in several directions; for it 

 should be even more comprehensive than that of the 

 Development Commission, which, provides for the 

 development of rural industries, among other matters. 

 This Commission, with the Board of Agriculture and 

 Fisheries, and the Imperial Institute, which has re- 

 cently been transferred from the Board of Trade to 

 the Colonial Office, is not concerned directly with 

 manufacturing industries, upon which 90 large a part 

 of the nation's prosperity depends. 



The field of the Privy Council Committee and its 

 Advisory Council is thus distinct from that of any 

 existing State department; and it should embrace all 

 progressive industry and science. It is suggested that 

 a Board or Ministry is necessary to discharge the func- 

 tions indicated in Clause I. of the recommendations 

 subjoined, in such a way as to fulfil modern require- 

 ments. 



I. A national statutory Board of Science and In- 

 dustry, the permanent staff of which should consist 

 mainly of persons of wide scientific knowledge and 

 business e.xperience, should be established to : — 



(i) Promote the co-ordination of industrial effort. 



(2) Secure co-operation between manufacturers and 

 all available laboratories of research. 



(3) Co-ordinate, and be the executive centre of, such 

 joint scientific committees as have been formed by the 

 Royal Society, the Chemical Society, and various 

 trade and educational associations. 



(4) Undertake inquiries as to products and mate- 

 rials, and generally to serve as a national bureau of 

 scientific and industrial intelligence. 



(5) Collect and publish information of a scientific 

 and technical character ; and provide so far as possible 

 for the solution of important problems bearing upon 

 industry. 



(6) Institute a number of paid advisory committees 

 consisting of men of wide scientific knowledge assisted 

 by expert investigators and technologists who should 

 receive reasonable fees for their services. 



(7) Organise scientific effort on the manufacturing 

 side and in commercial relations with other countries. 



(8) Arrange measures for the mobilisation of the 

 scientific, industrial, and educational activities of the 

 nation so as to ensure ready response to national needs 

 and emergencies. 



(9) Encourage investigation, and, where necessary, 

 give financial aid towards the synthesis anc artificial 

 production of natural products and for other re- 

 searches. 



Such a Board wouW naturally administer the scheme 

 of the Privy Council Committee, as well as take over 

 certain functions of existing departments and boards. 



The functions of the Board would be much the same 

 as regards the promotion of scientific and industrial 

 research and training, the co-operation of universities 

 with industries through trade associations, and the 

 maintenance of a record of scientific and technical 

 experts, as outlined in the report on " British Trade 

 after the War" by a Sub-Committee of the Board of 

 Trade. 



II. In all departments of State in which scientific 

 work is carried on, adequate provision should be made 

 for the periodical publication and wide distribution of 

 bulletins, leaflets, and reports, so that increased public 

 interest and attention may be encouraged in the re- 

 sults. 



III. Every industrial undertaking, subsidised or 

 otherwise assisted by the State, should have upon 

 its board of directors men who possess expert scien- 

 tific knowledge of the business in which they are 

 engaged. 



