44 



NA TURE 



[NoVEMIiEK 14, 1901 



qualities. But the principle of continuity may be used the other 

 way up — it may he argued that if a lump of protoplasm can 

 perform the essential functions of a living thing to all appear- 

 ances without consciousness, ihe supposed value of consciousness 

 in Man is an illusion. This is the doctrine of animal auto- 

 matism so brilliantly treated by Mr. Huxley.' He is chiefly 

 concerned with the value of consciousness to an organism — a 

 question into which I cannot enter. What concerns us now 

 s that, however we use the doctrine of continuity, it gives sup- 

 port to belief in a psychic element in plants. All I contend 

 for at this moment is that there is nothing unscientific in classing 

 animals and plants together from a psychological standpoint. 

 For this contention I may quote a well-known psychologist, Dr. 

 James Ward," who concludes that mind " is always implicated 

 in life." He remarks, too (ibid. p. 287), "it would he 

 hardly going too far to say that Aristotle's conception of a plant- 

 soul .... is tenable even to-day, at least as tenable as any 

 such notion can be at a time when souls are out of fashion." 



This is a path of inquiry I am quite incapable of pursuing. 

 It would be safer for me to rest contented with asserting that 

 plants are veget.ible automata, as some philosophers are content 

 to make an automaton of Man. But I am not satisfied with this 

 resting-place. And I hope that other biologists will not be 

 satisfied with a point of view in which consciousness is no 

 more than a bye-product of automatic action, and that they 

 will in time gain a definite conception of the value of conscious- 

 ness in the economy of living organisms. Nor can I doubt that 

 the facts we have to-night discussed must contribute to the 

 foundation of this wider psychological outlook. 



LESSONS FROM GERMANY. 

 YA/^E are glad to see that many public men are directing atten- 

 tion to the relationship between scientific investigation 

 and industrial progress, and urging reforms which were advo- 

 cated in these columns, and by men of science generally, long 

 before the present position v\as reached. There is no question 

 now that resolute efforts must be made if Great Britain is to 

 hold her own during the twentieth century. Already we have 

 lost supremacy in several branches of industry, and we shall 

 probably be surpassed in others by America and Germany unless 

 our commercial men learn to realise that science is the source of 

 energy of all sustained industrial movements. 



It is the business of scientific research to extend natural 

 knowledge, and the investigator is not usually concerned with 

 the commercial aspects of his work. The application of 

 scientific results to industrial developments is for the manu- 

 facturer and merchant to consider, but they are unable to 

 appreciate the possibilities of such results unless they have 

 themselves had a scientific education. A discovery which to one 

 man appears trivial may be made by another the nucleus of a 

 great industrial development. Commercial history can aflJ^ord 

 numerous instances of the connection between science and 

 prescience and the influence which the two combined exert 

 upon progress. Mr. K. B. Ilaldane, M.P., mentions a few 

 cases of this kind in an article in the November number of the 

 Monthly Ke-i<iew. He selects the brewing industry as one 

 instance of a change which should cau.se national concern. 

 Thirty years ago Germany exported no beer, to-day she exports 

 almost as much as Britain. The advance is due to the discovery 

 and application of scientific method. When the " Brauerbund " 

 was formed, it was definitely decided to make science with 

 practice and practice with science the principle to work upon. 

 Scientific stations were established in which technical problems 

 confronting the practical brewer could be studied, brewing 

 schools were founded, each with laboratories, experimental 

 makings and a brewery attached to them, and every effort was 

 made to provide for the education of brewers with scientific as 

 well as technical knowledge. The result of this thorough pro- 

 vision for educating scientific brewers is that German beer is a 

 very active rival of English beers in our own country, and in 

 France it almost monopolises the market. 



This is one example given by Mr. Haldane to show how the 

 industrial life in Germany is in close contact with the academic 

 life. The case of the aniline dyes is too well known to need 

 to be described here again, but our loss may be understood by 

 the fact that So per cent, of the coal-tar colours used by the 

 Bradford Dyers' Association now comes from Germany. 



1 " Science and Culture," Collected Essays, i. 

 - Loc. cit. p 288. 



NO. 1672. VOL. 65] 



It is, however, not only through the school that the man of 

 .science in Germany comes to the aid of industry, but also 

 through the experiment stations or central bureaus of scientific 

 opinion. The German, remarks Mr. Haldane, "is aware of 

 the enormous extent to which he is dependent upon high 

 science, and, further, that the best high science cannot be bought 

 by the private firm or company. Accordingly the rival German 

 explosives manufacturers several years ago combined to subscribe 

 about 100,000/. and to found close to Berlin what they call 

 their Central-Stelle. This establishment, which is maintained 

 by subscription at a cost of about l2,oix>/. a year, is presided 

 over by one of the most distinguished professors of chemistry in 

 the University of that city, with a staff of highly-trained 

 assistants. To it are referred as they arise the problems (in 

 this industry these abound) by which the subscribers in their 

 individual work are confronted. By it is carried on a regular 

 system of research in the field of production of explosives, the 

 fruits of which are communicated to the subscribers." 



Compare this organised system of determining the best 

 methods and processes with the narrow spirit in which most of 

 our commercial work is carried on. Trade rivalry exists in 

 Germany as much as here, but it does not prevent combination 

 having for its object the scientific study of subjects related to 

 industries and manufactures. 



The universities, technical schools and other academic institu- 

 tions are all part of an organised system, and though the aim is 

 culture, the application of the highest knowledge to commercial 

 enterprise is borne in mind, and everything is done to encourage 

 it. It is not necessary for us to copy Germany in everything, 

 but we need more of the spirit which has built up such a 

 splendid system of study and brought science, education and 

 industry into such close relationship. It is the duty of the 

 .State to do far more than it has hitherto done to promote this 

 connection by assisting research, organising and extending 

 .scientific education, and encouraging men to devote their 

 lives to the extension of natural knowledge. 



THE BICENTENNIAL OF YALE 

 UNI VERS n Y. 



'PHE two hundredth anniversary of the foundation of the 

 University was celebrated by a series of imposing ceremonies 

 at the end of last month. Representatives were present from 

 many universities and colleges, and addresses of congratulation 

 upon the past performances and future promise of Vale were read. 



The following is the address written by the Public Orator, Dr. 

 Sandys, and presented to Vale University by the delegates 

 appointed to represent the University of Cambridge at the 

 recent celebration. The delegates appointed were Sir Robert 

 Ball, Fellow of King's and Lowndean professor of astronomy, 

 the Hon. W. Everett, formerly of Trinity College (author of 

 lectures "On the Cam," delivered in Boston, 1S65), and Mr. 

 John Cox, late Fellow of Trinity, professor of physics at 

 Montreal. .Sir Robert Ball was unavoidably prevented from 

 attending the celebration. 



" Litteris vestris, viri nomine non uno nobis coniunctissimi, 

 trans oceanum Atlanticum ad nos nuper perlalis libenter in- 

 telleximus, Universitatem vestram, inter Musarum sedes trans- 

 marinas prope omnium vetustissimam, annis iam ducentis ab 

 origine sua feliciter exactis, sacra saecularia paucos post menses 

 esse celebraturam. Trans oceanum ilium, non iam ut olim 

 dissociabilem, plus quam sexaginta(ut accepimus) anteoriginem 

 vestram annis, Insulae Longae e regione, Fluminis Longi inter 

 ripas, Britannorum coloni Portum Novum invenerunt, ubi 

 postea Collegio vestro antique nomine novo indito civis Lon- 

 diniensis liberalitatem etiam illustriorem effecistis. Ergo et 

 animi nostri fraterni in testimonium, et diei tam fausti in 

 honorem, tres viros amicitiae foederi novo vobiscum feriundo 

 libenter delegimus, primum .\stronomiae professorem nostrum 

 facundum, quern quasi nuntium nostrum sidereum, velutalterum 

 Mercurium IMeiadis filiuni Atlantis nepotem, trans niaria ad vos 

 mittimus ; deinde, e vestra orbis terraruni parte, non modo 

 Universitatis Cantabrigiensis utriusque alumnum, cuius elo- 

 quentia olim Cami nostii nomen Angliae Novae inter cives 

 niagis notum reddidit, sed etiam Universitatis nostrae alumnum 

 alterum, qui provinciae Canadensis Universitatum inter pro- 

 fessores numeratur. Has igitur litteras a legatione nostra ad 

 vos perferendas Mercurio nostro tradimus, in quibus Universitati 

 vestrae florentissimae prop'erea praesertim gratulamur, quod 



