128 



NATURE 



[October 17, 1918 



SCIENTIFIC AND INDl STR1 1/. RESE [RCH. 



ON July 23, 1915, a scheme for the organisa- 

 tion .mil development oi scientific and in- 

 dustrial research was presented to Parliament by 

 the Board of Education, and we new have before 

 us the third annual report. 1 The scheme involved 

 the formation of a Committee of the Privy 

 Council with an Advisor) Council composed of 

 eminent scientific men and men actualh engaged 

 in industries dependent on scientific research. Of 

 the tirst Advisory Council three valuable members, 

 namely, Prof. Meldola, Mr. W. Duddell, and Prof. 

 Bertram Hopkinson, havi been removed b) death, 



and their places have been taken by Sir Maurice 



Fitzmaurice, the Hon. sir Charles Parsons, and 

 Prof. Jocelyn I-'. Thorpe. We are. reminded by 

 this report oi the great c\tent of the held which 

 the Committee has under consideration, and 

 Appendix IV. shows the constitution of various 

 Boards and Committees of Research. < >l these tin 

 first and most important is the Committee of the 

 National Physical Laboratory, and the others are 

 occupied with fuel, food investigation, industrial 

 fatigue, tin anil tungsten, while Committees have 

 charge of questions relating to glass and optical 

 des.ign, mine-rescue apparatus, building materials, 

 lubricants, copper and /inr, engineering in its 

 various departments, and the chemistry of food 

 and cooking. The establishment of a fuel research 

 station is a matter of great national importance, 

 and some questions relating to coal and coal- 

 mining have already received preliminary con- 

 sideration elsewhere. The large-scale experiments 

 on coal-dust explosions initiated tit Altofts some 

 years ago have led to important results which will 

 presumably he recognised by the Committee. 

 The inquiry into the Irish peat question will also 

 claim further consideration. 



An interesting- feature ol tin report is an account 

 of the progress made in the establishment of in- 

 dustrial research associations of manufacturers 

 under the Companies Aits, working' without dis- 

 tribution of profits and limited by a nominal 

 rantee. Parliament has voted a sum of one 

 million in aid of researches approved during- the 

 next five years, and the Department of Scientific 

 and Industrial Research has already guaranteed 

 to the British Scientific Instrument Research Asso- 

 ciation an expenditure of 30, 000/. within that 

 perioi oi 1500/. a year has been assigned 



to the British Photographic Research Association, 

 and a yearh contribution of pound for pound to the 

 forthcoming British Cotton Industry Association 

 has been promi ed. Similar terms are offered to 

 the proposed British Research Association for the 

 Woollen .md ■ d Industry on condition that 



the subscriptions from the firms reach in each 

 case an annual sum ol at least 5000Z. Altogether 

 some thirty industries are already engaged in pre- 

 liminary work for the esta ili: hment of research 

 associations. 



1 Report of the Commilec of the Privy Council for Scientific and Indus- 

 :. h for the Vear 1917-18. (Cd. H.M. Stationery 



I'ricc id. net. 



NO. 2555, VOL. I02] 



The lion Manufacturers 1 Research Association, 

 founded by the British iron-puddlers, has set the 

 good example of determining to investigate its 



own problems at its own expense, and by avoid- 

 ing anj claim on direel Government assistance in 

 its finance it avoids that measure ol regula- 

 tion which is inseparable from the enjoyment of 

 I'arjiamcutai \ funds. It is not unlikely, and it is 

 to be hoped, as the Advisory Council remarks in 

 the report, thai this example will be followed by 

 other industries. Ultimately no doubt the great 

 majority ol research associations will become 



independent 1 f direct State aid. 



An importanl part of the work undertaken by 

 the Advisor) Council is the consideration of the 

 problem how best to assist and encourage research 

 workers and students, (hants have been made 

 during the academic year 1017 t8 to lift) -eight 

 persons ties, libed as student's, research assistants, 

 or research workers, and the Council expresses 

 satisfaction with the work done. It refrains 

 from adopting any formal scheme until further 

 experience his been gained, but in connection with 

 provision for the future attention is again direi ti d 

 to the recently issued report J of Sir J. J. Thom- 

 son's Committee, and in particular to the fourth 

 section, which deals with the supply of trained 

 scientific workers for industrial and other pur- 

 poses. The deficiency of recruits for the scientific 

 professions and industries is so Teat that nothing 

 short ol far-reaching educational reform will pro- 

 vide a remedy. More time must 1>e given to 

 fundamental scientific subjects in the schools, 

 especially the secondary and high schools; more 

 help must he given to promising pupils, and atten- 

 tion may again be directed to the fact that there 

 is nothing in scientific studies, theoretical or prac- 

 tical, which should deter girls from following such 

 pursuits with a view to a professional career. But 

 it must be understood that the pursuit of physical 

 or natural si ience with practical ends in view is 

 little, if any, less arduous than the training neces- 

 sary for the medical profession. This, how ever, 

 the last fifty years of experience have led women 

 fully to n . 1 ignise. 



The report under notice is full of encouragement. 

 British manufacturers are beginning seriously to 

 believe in the association of science with industry, 

 and we may look forward hopefully to the day 

 when thev will pursue their respective lines of re- 

 search independently of the artificial stimulus de- 

 rived from ( lovernmental suggestion and support. 

 In the meantime, it is to be hoped that pure science 

 will not suffer neglect. The naturally aspired 

 worker will generally Ik- found to prefer freedom 

 from official control, but he will continue to need 

 in main 1 ases precuniary assistance, which has 

 been derived in the past from the several research 

 funds administered by special societies. \mong 

 these the Government grant distributed by the 

 'Royal Society is the most important, but the 

 meagre 4000?. a year for the whole circle of the 

 sciem es ought soon to be substantially increased. 

 - See Natubi for April i3. 101S, p. 135 



