NoveEMBER 19, 1896] 
tion of the anatomical study and identification of economic 
products of vegetable origin. 
It may therefore be said that there now exists, in connection 
with the Imperial Institute, the framework of the necessary 
machinery for making scientific and technical investigations of 
natural products of every description from all parts of the 
Empire. But however numerous the staff of the Department 
may in the future become, it is unlikely that it will ever be able 
‘to cope successfully with the enormous mass of material which 
present experience shows is likely to be laid before it for 
unvestigation. 
There has already been formed in connection with the De- 
‘partment an external staff of honorary scientific and technical 
referees, who are high authorities on their special subjects, and 
who have undertaken to advise the Department on any questions 
which may be referred to them. The Department has been also 
fortunate in securing the co-operation and advice of members of 
the staffs of several of the most eminent public institutions in 
this country, and particularly of those which are furnished with 
appliances for undertaking special technical inquiries. Among 
these may be mentioned the Royal College of Science and the 
City Guilds Central Technical College, both of which are 
adjacent to the Imperial Institute at South 
Kensington, St. Thomas’s Hospital, the 
Pharmaceutical Society, the Royal Indian 
Engineering College at Cooper's Hill, 
the Government Laboratories at Somerset 
House, at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, 
and at the Royal Mint, also the Yorkshire 
College at Leeds, where much valuable 
assistance has been rendered by the Re- 
search Laboratory of the Dyeing Depart- 
ment, which is endowed and maintained 
‘by the Clothworkers’ Company. It is 
hoped that it may be possible greatly to 
extend this system of external referees 
on scientific and technical matters, and 
‘to secure the co-operation and assistance 
of the leading scientific and technical 
institutions, not only in this country but 
also in India and the Colonies. For while 
there can be no doubt that it is advan- 
fageous that the scientific examination 
and commercial valuation of Indian and 
‘Colonial natural products should in most 
cases be conducted in the metropolis, 
still much of the preliminary as well as 
some of the later operations in connec- 
tion with, and arising out of these in- 
quiries, might often be conducted in the 
university and technical laboratories and 
in the botanical gardens of our Colonies, 
especially if their instructions were 
federated with, and were working in 
association with the Central Scientific 
and Technical Department at the Im- 
perial Institute. Such a federation, through the Imperial 
Institute, of scientific and technical workers in all parts of the 
Empire, could not fail to be an important source of strength to 
Science, industry, and to the nation at large. 
The principal work which the new department of the Imperial 
Institute is prepared to undertake when requested by the Indian 
or Colonial Governments, may be summarised as follows :— 
(1) The scientific investigation of new or little-known natural 
products derived from India and the Colonies, with a view to 
their commercial utilisation throughout the Empire. 
(2) The comparative examination with the same ends in view, 
of products of recognised value and importance, which, although 
known to occur and to be producible in India and the Colonies, 
are at present obtained commercially from other sources. 
(3) Advising the Indian and Colonial Governments on all 
scientific questions relating to the production, manufacture, and 
commercial utilisation of materials occurring within the British 
Empire. 
In order that the new organisation may be of real utility to 
India and the Colonies, it is necessary that their Governments, 
through their recognised representatives in this country, should 
bring themselves into close communication with the scientific 
<lepartment, and be the means of transmitting inquiries and 
Suggestions from their respective Dominions as to the investiga- 
NO. [412, VOL. 55 | 
NATURE ee 
oO 
tions which should be made, and also reporting to their 
respective Governments the result of the inquiries and the 
recommendations based upon them. 
It may be useful to allude here to the excellent preliminary 
arrangements which have already been made by the Indian 
Government for this purpose ; for the example thus set by India 
will, it is hoped, be followed by at least all the more important 
of our colonies. The Government of India has arranged that 
information as to the questions demanding attention shall be ob- 
tained in Calcutta by a specially appointed officer attached to the 
Revenue and Agricultural Department, the Reporter on 
Economic Products, Dr. George Watt, C.I.E., who is in con- 
stant communication, through the India Office, with the Imperial 
Institute, and is charged with the collection, in India, of samples 
of the various products requiring investigation, and their trans- 
mission to the Imperial Institute, together with suggestions as to 
the points needing inquiry. 
The arrangements connected with the disposal of these pro 
ducts are made by a special Committee appointed by the Secre- 
tary of State for India, which is presided over by Sir Steuart 
Bayley, KX.C.S.I., and consists of Indian officials who are 
familiar with the needs of India, and the possibilities of 
Fic. 2. 
promoting Indian commerce, viz. :—Sir Charles Bernard, 
K.C.S.1., Sir Owen Tudor Burne, K.C.S.I., Sir George 
Birdwood, M.D., K.C.S.I.,and Sir Alexander Wilson, K.C.S. I. 
The experienced Curator of the Indian Section of the Imperial 
Institute, Mr. J. R. Royle, C.I.E., acts as secretary. To this 
Committee is added any official of the Government of India who 
may be on Jeave in this country, and is likely to be able to render 
assistance. 
The Committee is charged with the maintenance and renewal 
of a thoroughly representative collection in the galleries of the 
Imperial Institute, illustrative of the chief natural products and 
principal manufactures of India. A similar but more extensive 
collection is maintained, under the supervision of Dr. Watt, at 
the Indian Museum at Calcutta. 
The Committee receives periodical reports from the Director 
of the Scientific Department of the progress of investigations, 
and acts as the channel of transmission to India of results and 
recommendations. 
Now that the Scientific and Technical Research Department 
has been organised on its experimental side, the Executive 
Council of the Imperial Institute have in view the perfection of 
preliminary arrangements that have already been made to bring 
the results and information obtained by this department under 
the immediate notice of merchants and others who control 
