January 28, 1909] 



NATURE 



^Si 



advance in scientific work Great Britain must gradually 

 recede from its premier position among nations. 



The worlc of these societies not only fosters the advance 

 of science, but it is largely educational, and this educa- 

 tional work is of the highest type, as it follows on after 

 the ordinary general education is finished. The present 

 Government, it is known, is keenly anxious to foster educa- 

 tion in every possible way, and it is suggested that this 

 is a legitimate direction in which aid is at once possible 

 without any reference to politics and without undue 

 expense. 



The deputation wishes to urge very strongly that these 

 societies are in no way working with the view of ulterior 

 profit, but that they work solely for the advancement of 

 knowledge and the well-being of our country. The deputa- 

 tion would invite reference in this connection to the balance 

 sheets of various societies, and from these it will be seen 

 that their expenditure is solely with the view of fostering 

 science, and that in no way does any profit accrue to their 

 members. 



The cost of the publication of the journals of the various 

 societies is a very large item in their expenditure, and the 

 cost of the postage of their journals to the members is in 

 many instances a very heavy ta.x on their resources. This 

 item of cost handicaps such societies in many ways. A 

 reduction in the rate of postage would give great relief 

 to such societies, while the cost to the Post Office, and 

 finally to the public, would be almost nominal. 



So heavily do some of the societies feel this rate of 

 postage on their publications that they now actually employ 

 their own servants or special messengers to deliver their 

 publications in London with considerable saving in expense 

 to themselves. Cases may be mentioned showing this. 



The deputation does not ask for any precise amount of 

 reduction, but would plead for some consideration and help 

 in the matter, and in passing \yould mention that the news- 

 paper rates in this country are much lower than the rates 

 at which scientific publications can be sent. The deputa- 

 tion also does not suggest any very hard and fast definition 

 as to the line to be drawn between the publications of 

 learned and scientific societies and other serial publica- 

 tions, but it is suggested that the case of each society, 

 applying for any favourable rate which might be granted, 

 should be considered by the Postmaster-General himself, 

 and if he is satisfied that such society is working wholly 

 {a) for the public benefit ; (b) for the advancement of know- 

 ledge or learning ; (r) without any view to profit to its 

 members, and fulfils any other conditions the Postmaster- 

 General may think fit to add, then such benefit could be 

 granted to each individual society which may be approved. 



With this end in view, the following is a suggested 

 regulation for any concession which the Postmaster-General 

 and the Government might be pleased to make : — 



" Any publication coming within the following descrip- 

 tion can, on the application of the society, and upon pay- 

 ment of an annual fee of 5s., be registered at the General 

 Post Office for transmission by inland post as a publication 

 of a society as hereinafter defined." 



Definition of a Publication. 

 {Under this Section.) 



" .•Ml such scientific, learned and technical publications 

 as may be issued periodically not for profit, but for the 

 advancement of knowledge by societies and institutions in 

 the United Kingdom." 



The deputation would urge that such a regulation (which 

 may, of course, be amplified if necessary) would at once 

 differentiate the publications for which relief is sought 

 from all magazines and other similar periodical matter 

 which are published as commercial speculations, whereas, 

 on the other hand, if the rates of postage to be given to 

 the periodicals by scientific societies are reduced, the defini- 

 tion above given could equally be used to assimilate their 

 treatment with that already given to the newspapers in 

 this country. 



The executive committee of the Guild subsequently 

 decided that it is undesirable to proceed at present any 

 further in this question, but it is hoped that circumstances 

 niav prove to be more favourable later, when perhaps a 

 lurther move may be made. 



NO. 2048, VOL. 79] 



Reports of Committees. 

 During the year meetings of a number of committees 

 have been held. In some cases the results obtained have 

 been incorporated in the form of reports, from some of 

 which extracts are given below. Two reports upon educa- 

 tional subjects appear elsewhere in the present issue. 



Coordination of Charitable Effort. 



At the last annual meeting of the Guild Sir William 

 Bousfield directed attention to the want of coordination 

 in charitable effort, and suggested that this would be a 

 very fitting matter for the Guild to inquire into. As a 

 consequence, a subcommittee was appointed to deal with 

 the subject. In a memorandum drawn up for the com- 

 mittee Sir William Bousfield says :^ 



" There would appear to be few subjects on which 

 scientific thought and deductions from practical experience 

 in the past would be more valuable to the community than 

 those relating to expenditure on relief of the poor and 

 provision for sickness and incapacity for work. The 

 amount spent at present out of the national income on 

 these objects and the waste is extremely great. The funds 

 are provided by the State, including central and local 

 authorities, by subscriptions made by the classes who 

 receive the benefit, and by voluntary contributions given 

 in the form of charity by the wealthier sections of the 

 public. 



" The time seems to have come when the relation ot 

 these various efforts towards the same objects should be 

 examined from a general and national point of view. At 

 present there is no common aim realised by those who 

 improve the lot of the needv or ot persons depending or* 

 weekly wages and their families. There is a great over- 

 lapping in administration, owing to the absolute ignorance 

 of charitable people as to what the working classes are 

 themselves doing, or what provision is being made by the 

 State, and vice versd. New charitable organisations are 

 constantly springing up on a large scale, which merely 

 duplicate' the work of others and add greatly to the cost 

 without necessity. 



" The general effect of this want of system has been 

 very unfair to the poor themselves, and has promoted a 

 pauperised spirit. 



" The want of recognised principle to guide the com- 

 munity in its aim of improving social conditions leads to 

 all kinds of contradictory proposals, and Parliament and 

 the nation alike are at sea and in a state of bewilderment 

 when wide and far-reaching schemes for that end are set 

 on foot." 



.igricultural Committee. 



.\ committee has been formed to inquire into the present 

 condition of agricultural research. Mr. A. D. Hall has 

 drawn up a report dealing with agricultural research in 

 the United Kingdom. Mr. John Percival has drawn upa 

 report dealing with the state of agricultural research m 

 the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany, and 

 the amount of State aid which is extended to the different 

 experimental farms and institutions. The subject, how- 

 ever, being very broad, there still remains a large amount 

 of work for the committee to undertake. 



Franco-British Exhibition. 

 Owing to the action of the executive committee of the 

 Guild in 1907, a special science committee, consisting of 

 members of the British Science Guild and representatives of 

 the Royal and other societies, with Sir Norman Lockyer as 

 chairman, organised a separate Science Section of the 

 Franco-British Exhibition. The executive of the exhlbltlO^^ 

 most generously granted to the committee the use of the 

 large building, which was specially erected for the pur- 

 pose, having a floor space of 14,000 square feet. Not only 

 did thev build and grant this hall free of cost, but they 

 also contributed a sum of looo!. to defray the cost of the 

 glass exhibition cases, with installation and other expenses. 

 The total contribution of the executive to the cause of 

 British science exceeded 7000!. The Guild feel that this 

 public-spirited action on the part of the exhibition authori- 

 ties calls for the highest praise. In no other international 

 exhibition has a special portion been entirely devoted to 

 science. 



