se Ser, oY 
—s 
NATURE 
229 
THURSDAY, JULY 21, 1870 
WAR 
HE dogs of war are again let loose, and in the two 
most highly civilised countries of Europe, where, a 
week ago, science, education, and commerce were in full 
sway, all the arts of peace are already neglected, and in 
prospect have gone back a quarter ofa century. Wecan 
hardly yet realise that at the present moment railways are 
being torn up, lighthouses dismantled, lightships towed 
into harbour, and monuments of engineering skill, suchas 
the bridge over the Rhine at Kiel, undermined, so that 
they may be destroyed at a moment’s notice. But these, 
after all, are calamities of the second order; education is 
stopped ; science schools are broken up ; while we write 
both professor and pupil are forsaking the laboratory and 
the class-room, and the whole machinery of progress 
- has come toa stand-still. 
This journal, of course, has nothing to do with Politics : 
the function of Science is to unite the whole human 
family, whereas the function of Politics seems to be, both 
in the case of the human family and of each nation, to 
create parties and to emphasise them as much as possible, 
the object in each case being place for the partisans— 
whether that place be an income of a few thousands a year 
in one case or increased territory in the other. But 
although we cannot discuss politics, we may point out that 
as Science advances such policies will be overridden— 
that when Science and Education have taken their proper 
position—when the sword has given place to brain—when 
more of the best men of each nation take part in each 
nation’s counsels, the dreadful thirst after blood will give 
way to something better ; monarchs will see the folly of 
being surrounded merely with empty helmets and uniforms, 
or at all events if they do not, others will; and much 
will have been done when the pampering of armed men 
shall cease. 
There is one point however in connection with the 
coming war which we cannot point out too strongly—one 
duty which England owes to herself, and which, if it be 
well done, may make her after all a gainer from the dreadful 
strife. We have already stated, and the statement is not 
an exaggeration, that the war will throw the countries 
engaged init back a quarter of acentury. Now, Eng- 
- land at the present moment, be the cause what it may, is 
in many things a quarter of a century behind France and 
Prussia, notably in education of all kinds, and especially 
in scientific education. 
The following extract from the Report of Mr. Samuel- 
son’s Committee on Scientific Education—a report which 
we believe has not even yet been taken into consideration 
by our Legislature—is so much to the point that we give 
it here :— 
“Nearly every witness speaks of the extraordinarily 
rapid progress of Continental nations in manufactures, 
and attributes that rapidity, not to the model workshops 
which are met with in some foreign countries, and are 
but an indifferent substitute for our own great factories, 
and for those which are rising up in every part of the 
Continent ; but, besides other causes, to the scientific 
training of the proprietors and managers in France, 
Switzerland, Belgium, and Germany, and to the elemen- 
tary instruction which is universal amongst the working 
VOL, II, 
population of Germany and Switzerland. There can be 
no doubt, from the evidence of Mr. Mundella, of Prof. 
Fleeming Jenkin, of Mr. Kitson, and others, and from the 
numerous reports of competent observers, that the facili- 
ties for acquiring a knowledge of theoretical and applied 
science are incomparably greater on the Continent than 
in this country, and that such knowledge is based on an 
advanced state of secondary education, 
“ All the witnesses concur in desiring similar advantages 
of education for this country, and are satisfied that nothing 
more is required, and that nothing less will suffice, in 
order that we may retain the position which we now hold 
in the van of all industrial nations. All are of opinion 
that it is of incalculable importance economically that our 
manufacturers and managers should be thoroughly in- 
structed in the principles of their arts. 
“ They are convinced that a knowledge of the principles 
of science on the part of those who occupy the higher 
industrial ranks, and the possession of elementary in- 
struction by those who hold subordinate positions, would 
tend to promote industrial progress by stimulating im- 
provement, preventing costly and unphilosophical attempts 
at impossible inventions, diminishing waste, and obviating 
in a great measure ignorant opposition to salutary changes. 
“ Whilst all the witnesses concurred in believing that 
the economical necessity for general and scientific educa- 
tion is not yet fully realised by the country, some of them 
consider it essential that the Government should interfere 
much more actively than it has done hitherto, to promote 
the establishment of scientific schools and colleges in our 
great industrial centres.” 
It is impossible that we can say anything stronger than 
this in favour of taking the fullest advantage of the 
opportunity of regaining our intellectual and therefore our 
commercial prestige. 
If England is to prepare for war, the abnormal condi- 
tion, so let it be ; but surely, a fortzorz she should prepare 
Jor peace, the normal one, as well. This has never struck 
her ministers, and the reason is not far to seek, 
But this is not all; the same disregard for science, 
arising from the ignorance of science among our rulers, 
has probably placed us in another position of disadvan- 
tage. While France and Prussia have been organising 
elaborate systems of scientific training for their armies, a 
recent Commission has destroyed what little chance there 
was of our officers being scientifically educated at all. As 
there is little doubt that a scientific training for the 
young officer means large capabilities for combination 
and administration when that officer comes to command, 
we must not be surprised if the organisation of our army, 
if it is to do its work with the minimum of science, will, 
at some future time, again break down as effectually as 
it did in the Crimea, or that our troops will find them- 
selves over-matched should the time ever come when 
they will be matched with a foe who knows how to profit 
to the utmost from scientific aids. 
While, therefore, the Continent is being deluged with 
blood, let us Zrepare for peace as well as for war ; let us 
prepare ourselves for victories in the arts, conquests over 
nature ; let us, by means of a greater educational effort, 
more Science Schools, a truer idea of the mode in which 
a nation can really progress, fit ourselves to take our 
place among the nations when peace returns. Surely if 
there be statesmen among us, such a clear line of policy 
will not be overlooked. 
Education and Science at the present moment are 
England’s greatest needs, 
N 
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