Oct. 30, 1873] 
THE United States Signal Service has recently constructed a 
telegraph line to the summit of Pike’s Peak, in Colorado, which 
is said to be the highest point reached by any line in the United 
States, or perhaps in the world. The height is said to exceed 
11,000 ft. Regular reports as to the weather are to be sent to 
Washington three times daily. 
THE additions to the Zoolozical Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include an American Cross Fox (Canis /ulvus), a 
Golden Eagle (Aguila Chrysaétus), and a Virginian Eagle Owl 
(Bubo virginianus), from North America, presented by Capt. 
D. Herd ; a Mexican Deer (Cervus mexicanus), from Porto Rico, 
presented by Mr. W. Isaacson; two Sand Badgers (AZéles an- 
uma), from Japan, presented by Lieut. Hon. A. C. Littleton ; 
a Black-eared Marmoset, (Hefale penicillata), from Brazil, pre- 
sented by Mr. C. Hawkshaw ; a Spotted Hyzena (Hyena evocuta), 
and two Bronze-winged Pigeons (Phafs chalcoptera), born in the 
Gardens ; two Rheas (R/ea americana), from S. America, depo- 
sited ; two Chilian Tinamous (X/ynchotus perdicarius), three 
Banded Tinamous (Cryfturus noctivagus), and two Obsolete 
Tinamous (C. oéso/etus), from S. America, received in exchange. 
ORIGINAL RESEARCH AS A MEANS OF 
EDUCATION* 
Il. 
T is the greatest possible mistake to suppose—as, unfortunately, 
-many yet do—that a scientific education unfits a man for 
the pursuits of ordinary professional or commercial life. I be- 
lieve that no one can be unfitted for business life or occupations 
by the study of phenomena, all of which are based upon law, 
the knowledge of which can only be obtained by the exercise of 
exact habits of thought, and patient and Jaborious effort. I 
dare say many who have had a scientific education make bad 
men of business, but so do many who have not had such an edu- 
cation ; it is not the scientific education which has spoilt them. 
Even more directly does the value of scientific education bear 
upon professional and manufacturing life. The medical man’s 
success depends mainly upon the exercise of faculties which are 
pre-eminently called forth, and strengthened in original scientific 
investigations. The manufacturer who aspires to something 
more than following the rule-of-thumb work of his predecessors, 
requires exactly these habits of mind which are developed by 
original research. If the brewer, the calico-printer, the dyer, 
the alkali-maker, the metallurgist wish to make any advance of 
their own in their respective trades, they cannot do so without 
the exercise of powers which can only be gained by the prosecu- 
tion of original inquiry. Doubtless many—nay, even most—of 
the great discoveries and improvements in the arts and manufac- 
tures may have been made by men who have been self-taught. 
But these men have acquired for themselves, by slow and diffi- 
Bs ches 
< - 
NATURE 
cult steps, the same habits of exact observation, patient and | 
laborious devotion, and manipulative or constructive skill which 
the modern student of science may, at any rate to a very con- 
siderable extent, gain in his college course. So valuable is this 
kind of education found to be, that in Germany, where it is most 
practised, the chemical manufacturers now refuse to take young 
men into their works unless they have not merely had a scientific 
education, but also have prosecuted original investigation. 
Tf, then, education in its widest sense has for its objects, as I 
presume will be generally allowed, the training of the mind and 
faculties in such a way as most fully to qualify the possessor to 
discharge with benefit to mankind his duties in after-life, surely 
plans for the encouragement of original scientific research should 
form no inconsiderable portion of the work of every institution 
professing to deal with the higher education of the country. And 
yet when we come to look at the provision made for encouraging 
original research, either at our older or at most of the more 
modern seats of learning, we are astonished to find that this 
essential provision is almost altogether ignored. At Oxford and 
Cambridge thousands of pounds are each year lavished upon the 
encouragement of classical and mathematical attainments, whilst 
the claims of original research can scarcely be said to be 
recognised. Hence these highly endowed universities, whilst 
they are justly celebrated for their critical faculties, have ceased 
Concluded from p. 539. 
ENE SI fers oe a 
559 
to represent, in any one direction, the productive power of the 
country. 
Original research, the true life-breath of civilisation, does not 
in England, as is the case in Germany, look to the universities 
as the nurseries where its young shoots shall be tended and che- 
rished, for there, at present, its value is scarcely recognised. 
Indeed, Sir William Thompson has expressed his opinion 
that the system of examinations at the universities has a 
tendency to repress original inquiry, and exerts a very in- 
jurious effect in obstructing the progress of science. The 
time is, however, not far distant when this want of appre- 
ciation of the value of original research will be a thing of the 
past, and when the universities will vie with each other in en- 
couraging this mainspring of progress, and in honouring more 
those whose lives are devoted to this high calling. Owing to 
the want of means of promoting original investigation in our 
great seats of learning, the scientific activity of the country has 
found vent through other channels. No want of encouragement 
can repress really great minds or powerful wills. Manchester 
can boast the names of many men who, in spite of want of uni- 
versity aid, have done much for science. Who, for instance, in 
the whole scientific annals of Oxford, can be placed on a footing 
of equality with Dalton or Joule? These men are, however, great 
in spite of our systematic negligence of the subjects, the mastery 
over which has made their names immortal. 
If, inthe face of so much that is discouraging in this want of 
recognition of science, England has still no reason to fear the 
comparison of her great men of science with those of other 
countries, we may feel sure that our position among the nations 
will be raised when the Government, our universities, and the 
country at large become alive to their duties as regards the encou- 
ragement of original scientific research, and when the number of 
able men who devote themselves to this pursuit shall thereby be 
largely increased. Much assistance in this direction may con- 
fidently be expected from the Royal Commission on Scientific 
Instruction and the Advancement of Science, of which his Grace 
our President is chairman, and which has lately published its 
third report on the progress of scientific education and research 
in the two old universities. In this report, the importance, from 
a national point of view, as well as an educational instrument of 
original research is fully recognised, whilst the means of enabling 
the universities to take their due share in the management of this 
branch of human activity is suggested. The evidence given 
before this Commission by Sir Benjamin Brodie, Prof. Frank- 
land, Dr. Carpenter, and other competent authorities, is of the 
most decided and unanimous character, and the opinion thus 
strongly expressed must ere long produce its effect. 
‘The importance of fostering scientific research in connection 
with higher education is, however, now well understood to the 
authorities of this college. Very considerable facilities for carrying 
out original work are given both to the teachers and to the pupils, 
whilst in the appointment of the professors special weight is 
always laid on their power of conducting scientific research. In 
my department, which has now been organised for many years, 
I make bold to say that we have not been behind any chemical 
laboratory in this kingdom in the original work we have pro- 
duced, The physical laboratory, which has only recently been 
inaugurated, has already, under the care of its talented Direc- 
tor, whose original researches are valued wherever Science 
is appreciated, done valuable work, and the new depart- 
ment of practical physiology which has just been established 
will doubtless soon bear fruit of a similar character. In the 
biological sciences our teaching resources have hitherto been 
limited ; but although this has necessarily prevented the prose- 
cution of research by the students, the professors of this depart- 
ment have long been distinguished for original investigation in 
their special branches. 
To assist in developing in the practical community the appre- 
ciation of scientific research, and owing to the liberality of Man- 
chester men and to the wise advice of Prof. Frankland, who then 
occupied the chair which I have now the honour to hold, a scho- 
larship for original chemical research—our Dalton Chemical 
Scholarship—was founded in 1853 as a testimonial, and a fitter 
one could not have been proposed, to our great townsman. The 
establishment in England of a scholarship for excellence in ori- 
ginal research was, twenty years ago, a circumstarice without a 
parallel, but in spite of the novelty of the experiment, time has 
fully proved the wisdom of the course which its originators 
adopted. We can already point to a fairly long list of men who 
haye taken our Dalton Scholarship, who now hold high and 
