
SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 1923. 
a0 NATURE 





CONTENTS. Bree 
Er and Government Administration. By Lieut.- 
Col. Mervyn O'Gorman, C.B. g « <5 
The Structure of the Atom. By R. H. Bowie: 523 
eligion and Evolution. By the Rev. Canon E. W. 
Barnes, F.R.S. . 526 
A Peruvian Desert. | (Utustrated By Dr. r. Job w. 
Evans, iS. + 527 
Our Bookshelf ° s . . . ° + 529 
Letters to the Editor :— 
| Crystal Structure of Basic Beryllium Acetate.—Sir 
W. H. Bragg, K.B.E., F.R'S : 532 
. A Theory of the peesity of i iquids, —Prof. C. v. 
‘ Raman . 2 “e532 
Colour Tieapercture asa Brighten of Moonlight — 
Dr. W. E. Forsythe 533 
Botanical Aspects of Wegener’s Hgpodiests ae 
R. H. Compton; The Writer of the Article . 533 
Use of the Triode Valve in eS oe, 3 —L. 
Bellingham 534 
The Release of Electrons by x. re _Prof, Ss. Russ 534 
The Magnetic Disturbance of March 24- 25: —Father 
A. L. Cortie, S.J. 534 
Pressure of Fluidity of Metals. —A. 's. E. : Ackeseaacn 534 
Use of the Millibar in Aerodynamics. Miss 3 Dia- 
gram.)—Major A. R. Low : 535 
e Sun-Cult in Ancient Egypt. —II. By Dr. Aylward 
_M. Blackman. 536 
cientific Investigation of the Whaling Problem 
By Sir Sidney F. Harmer, K.B.E., sors 540 
Einstein and the Recent Eclipse. By A S D.C. 541 
urrent Topics and Events . . - 2 ~ 542 
ur Astronomical Column 5 ‘ : » 546 
esearch Items 547 
limatic Eaeeeeentality ane Occanity By ie C. w. 
Bonacina . 549 
Discovery of Marine Beds at the Base of the Gand- 
wana System in Central India 550 
The Calcutta School cd = Medicine and 
_ Hygiene 550 
Virus Diseases of Plants . > - . wi 5X 
University and Educational Intelligence . . ret 
Societies and Academies . A . . A ». “553 
Official Publications Received . 4 ; : + 556 
Diary of Societies . rs fs : : 556 


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Advertisements and business letters should be 
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Editorial communications to the Editor. 
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Telephone Number: GERRARD 8830. 
NO. 2790, VOL. 111] 
521 

Science and Government Administration. 
ENSE, experience, humility, and imagination may 
teach one the need of advice: but some under- 
standing of the subject is required to know whom to 
ask for advice and how to ask him; and still more 
to select advice, apply it, and act on it. In scientific 
matters this receptiveness of the recipient is an essential 
condition, otherwise the adviser is merely pouring 
water upon a flat plate ; it bounces off, yet the plate 
shines and glories in its wetness. 
In view of the supremely scientific character of 
modern war, can we say that the Army Council, Board 
of Admiralty, and Air Force Council possess the sine 
qua non for asking, selecting, applying, and acting on 
scientific advice in relation to the myriad problems of 
their occupation ? These administrative bodies are 
called upon to foresee the wants of war and to make 
purchases and initiate researches for their fulfilment. 
They should, therefore, not only know what is wanted, 
but also understand what can be obtained. In the 
restricted sense of this use of the word “ want” Julius 
Cesar did not want electric light. He would have 
had to be even more remarkable than he was to want 
it, and then he could not have described the want 
effectively to any listener. 
It is quite common for the lay public to be too un- 
acquainted with what it can get to form a clear idea 
of its requirements—the man who tries to install 
central heating, or drains, without architect or builder 
will understand what is here meant. Luckily most 
people have sufficient knowledge of the subject and 
feeling of humility to determine them to go to the 
architect—that is because central heating and drains 
are everyday things. The lay public did not want 
railways—it did not know how to want them ; it did 
not want automobiles until some years of education 
had been applied, and, coming nearer to our subject, 
the Army and Navy did not want aeroplanes until 
long after they were shown thenf We are not making 
an accusation, but merely giving examples to show 
that the human faculty of wanting is a function of 
knowing what can be evolved, that is, education ; and 
of imagining to what uses that provision can be ex- 
tended, that is, vision. 
There is the reciprocal of this also in “ nof-wanting. 
Ask any young officer at random if he wants the 
Finance Member of the Army Council; facetiously, 
but not without disclosing a true feeling, he will reply 
that “he has no use for him.” With fairly precise 
analogy, if it were to be suggested to any member of 
the three councils named that a man of distinguished 
scientific attainments is wanted on these councils, he 
would with equal conviction, equal error, and possibly 
with equal facetiousness say, they “have no use for 
him” , . . “they have their advisers.” 
” 
