OcroBerR 19, 191 6] 
NATURE 139 
A paper was contributed by Prof. W. G. Fearnsides 
and Dr. P. G. H. Boswell on the occurrence of refrac- 
tory sands and - associated materials in hollows 
in the surface of the Mountain Limestone district of 
Derbyshire and Staffordshire. Then Dr. P. G. H. 
Boswell dealt with the geological characters of 
sands used in glass manufacture, which gave in- 
teresting and important glimpses of the new efforts 
being put forward to supply our present economic 
necessities. The report of the committee appointed 
to investigate the flora of the Lower Carboniferous 
Beds of Gullane described the finding of a petrified 
flora in 1914, the most important form of which was 
Pilys. Many examples of this fossil plant were found, 
some with bark, and one, a branch tip, still clothed 
with needle-like leaves. These enabled the connection 
between leaf and stem to be determined, and much 
light had been thrown on the stem-structure of the 
genus. The whole assemblage of plant types ex- 
hibited a close similarity with the flora of the Pettycur 
Limestone in Fife. Wak. Cc: 
THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION AT 
NEWCASTLE. 
SECTION F. 
ECONOMIC SCIENCE AND STATISTICS. 
OPENING ADDRESS (ABRIDGED) BY Pror. A. W. Kirk- 
atpy, M.A., B.Lirt., M.Com., PRESIDENT OF THE 
SECTION. 
The Need for National Organisation. 
As the war developed there has been a growing 
tendency to demand organisation in every sphere of 
national life. The striking successes scored by Ger- 
many have been universally, and probably rightly, 
ascribed to thoroughness of organisation and complete 
preparedness before provoking the conflict. As a con- 
sequence, a comparison has been made between Eng- 
lish and German military policy, greatly to the detri- 
ment of the former. And, not content with this, 
further comparisons have been made, with the result 
that, if one believed all that was printed in the news- 
papers or accepted what passes in private conversation, 
we should be led to believe that rule of thumb has 
been the leading British characteristic.. It has been 
forgotten that Germany has for many decades prided 
herself on her Army, even as England has relied on 
her Navy. One has been a great military Power; 
the other equally great at sea. The test of war has 
proved that Germany was a very difficult country to 
oppose by land, but that in naval matters England 
is supreme. The economist, however, has to go 
further and investigate into those matters which are 
connected with his science—namely, the production, 
the distribution, and the consumption of wealth. Can 
it be said that the want of organisation and other faults 
of our military system are typical of what has been 
going on in the industrial and commercial sphere? 1 
for one cannot bring myself to accent the truth of this. 
Had our economic interests been carried on under so- 
called War Office principles we could not have built 
up the great position we occupy as world traders. 
What, then, are the facts? To answer this question 
one should remember the leading facts connected with 
our industrial development. This brings out some 
points which the superficial observer inevitably misses. 
For upwards of a century our industries have been 
gradually developing, and the progress has on the 
whole been along healthy lines—each decade has seen 
some advance more or less great. 
more recent: She was able to benefit by our experi- 
ence, nor was she slow in doing so. ‘1he agitation 
for ‘Yarirt Reform and Colonial references is a proot 
that several years before the war broke out some Eng- 
lishmen were awake to the fact that a new condition 
had come into existence, and that, if we were to 
preserve our advantageous position, we must take care- 
ful stock of newly arisen tactors in world-trade. . For 
Germany was not the only one, nor perhaps the most 
serious, of these factors. The: United States of 
America, from the time of the Civil War, had bent 
her energies to the work of internal development. 
Having concentrated on this for nearly forty years, 
she began to expand a world-policy, both political and 
commercial. Japan, too, emerged with unexpected 
suddenness into the arena. Thus, as the nineteenth 
century drew to a close, the economic interests of’ 
England required careful and earnest attention. The 
fiscal controversy undoubtedly had the great and im- 
portant effect of waking English traders out of the 
lotus-eating condition into which they were in danger 
of sinking. All our principal, and many of our less 
important, industries were carefully reviewed, with 
results that can be realised by a study of the annual 
statistics published by the Board of Trade. There 
was, however, a very subtle policy being pursued, 
which required very minute knowledge and wide ex- 
perience to. grasp. It was our proud boast that we 
left trade free and untrammelled, that we believed in 
the health-giving effects of open competition. It 
needed the stern lesson of the war to make known 
how this generous policy could be utilised to our 
detriment by a rival commercial nation. The facts as 
to the exploiting of the mineral resources of the 
Empire, as to how the dye and colour industry and 
various by-product industries have been developed so 
that certain vital trades almost passed under foreign 
control, came to light only just in time. 
It became plain, as these facts leaked out, that we 
needed a better system of industrial and commercial 
intelligence. There was also a lack of unity of work- 
ing among our principal industries incompatible with 
the growing interdependence which has been a marked 
feature of modern economic life. 
Hitherto, apparently, it has been no one’s business 
to survey comprehensively the resources whence our 
raw materials are drawn. Even those resources 
within the Empire have been nervelessly left to be 
exploited by the first-comer, and the mask of an Eng- 
lish name has enabled foreign capital and energy to 
divert some of our valuable minerals to foreign coun- 
tries, whence we have been compelled to purchase 
them at unnaturally enhanced prices. Sufficient of the 
facts have been made public to warrant the demand 
for reconstruction and improved organisation of. those 
departments responsible for the national trade. 
It would be most unwise as well as ungenerous 
to attempt to blame our Board of Trade. That de- 
partment has, on the whole, worked hard and well for 
British interests. But it is both wise and necessary 
to criticise the policy that has overweighted this one 
Government department. And althotgh there should 
be very careful consideration before either recommend- 
ing or making a drastic change, attention ought to 
be given to the frequently expressed opinions of both 
chambers of commerce and individual traders in 
favour of the creation of a Ministry of Commerce. To 
this Ministry there might be transferred some of the 
functions of the Board of Trade, whilst at the same 
time the new Ministry might be responsible for main- 
taining that general survey over trade and commerce 
without which any organisation we may attempt 
German attention to industry and commerce is much j would be incomplete. 
NO. 2451, VOL. 98] 
