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NA TURE 



[September 16, 1922 



which could be described as empty, surely this was 

 one : yet the letter gives the impression that Faraday 

 himself was quite content with his reward. 



It is perhaps unfair to quote Faraday as a type, for 

 few men are blessed with his transparent simplicity 

 of character, but there is obviously a Sireat gulf fixed 

 between the present day and a time when a debt of 

 honour could be cancelled in such a manner. A little 

 reflection will show that the British Association has 

 played a useful part in discrediting the idea that because 

 so much scientific discovery is given " openly to the 

 world." those who profit by such discoveries should 

 be absolved from their reasonable obligations. Even 

 where scientific workers do not expect or desire personal 

 reward, the institutions which provide them with their 

 facilities are often sorely in need. The recognition, 

 not yet complete, but more adequate than once was the 

 1 ase, that the labourer is worthy of his hire, represents 

 only one minor change which the years have brought. 



An even greater contrast, embodying more important 

 principles, is found in the changed attitude of the State 

 towards scientific education and discovery. Re- 

 member Brewster's fond hope that, by means of our 

 Association, the whole status of science would be raised, 

 and that a greater measure of support and encourage- 

 ment would be received from the Government. How 

 eagerly the venerable physicist must have listened to 

 the Presidential Address delivered at the twenty-third 

 meeting of the Association assembled in Hull for the 

 first time. It dealt with many problems familiar to 

 him. No doubt he followed with keen interest the 

 account of the observations on nebute made with 

 Lord Rosse's telescope, and appreciated the references 

 to the work of Joule and Thomson. The address was 

 a masterly synopsis of scientific progress, but from 

 time to time a new note steals in. There is a significant 

 reference to a consultation with the Chancellor of the 

 Exchequer, another to a conversation with Mr. Glad- 

 stone, and a third to a working arrangement concluded 

 with the Admiralty. These would fall sweetly on 

 Brewster's ear, and he would cordiallv approve of the 

 report of our Parliamentary Committee, which had 

 established sympathetic contact with the House of 

 Commons. He could not fail to be impressed with 

 the changes a few years had brought. 



Let us bridge the further gap of sixty-nine years 

 which separates us from that day. The contrast is 

 amazing, and once more we can trace the steady, 

 persistent influence of the British Association in bring- 

 ing about what is practically a revolution in public 

 and official opinion. We have learned many lessons. 

 The change has come suddenly, but it was not spon- 

 taneous. Many years had to be spent in disseminating 

 the idea that research is a vital necessity, and toward 

 this end presidents of our Association have not hesi- 

 tated, year after year, to add the weight of their in- 

 fluence and eloquence. It was courageous of them 

 to do so. I would refer you particularly to the forcible 

 appeals made by Sir James Dewar at Belfast and Sir 

 Norman Lockyer at Southport, when the plea for more 

 research was laid before the Association, and thus 

 found its way by the most direct channel to the press 

 and to the public. No doubt many other factors have 

 played a part in creating a research atmosphere in 

 this country, but the steady pressure exerted by the 



NO. 2759, VOL. I 10] 



British Association is not the least important of these 

 influences. 



The principles of science are to-day widely spread ; 

 systematic scientific training has found an honourable 

 place in the schools and in the colleges ; above all, 

 there is the realisation that much of human progress is 

 based on scientific inquiry, and at last this is fostered 

 and, in part, financed as a definite unit of national 

 educational policy. Public funds are devoted to pro- 

 vide facilities for those who are competent to pursue 

 scientific investigations, and in this way the State, 

 acting through the Department of Scientific and 

 Industrial Research, has assumed the double responsi- 

 bility of providing for the advancement of knowledge 

 and for the application of scientific methods to industry. 

 Scientific workers have been given the opportunities 

 they desired, and it remains for us to justify all that 

 has been done. We have to-day glanced briefly at the 

 painful toil and long years of preparation ; now it falls 

 to us to sow the first crop and reap the first harvest. 



Thanks to the wisdom and foresight of others, it has 

 been possible to frame the Government policy in the 

 light of the experience gained with pre-existing research 

 organisations. The pioneer scheme of the kind is that 

 administered by the Commissioners of the 1851 Exhibi- 

 tion, who since 1890 have awarded research scholarships 

 to selected graduates. When in 1901 Mr. Carnegie's 

 benefaction was applied to the Scottish Universities 

 the trustees wisely determined to devote part of the 

 revenues to the provision of research awards which 

 take the form of scholarships, fellowships, and research 

 lectureships. These have proved an immense boon 

 to Scottish graduates, and the success of the venture is 

 sufficiently testified by the fact that the Government 

 research scheme was largely modelled on that of the 

 Carnegie Trust. 



In each of these organisations chemistry bulks 

 largely, and the future of our subject is intimately 

 connected with their success or failure. The issue lies 

 largely in our hands. We must not forget that we are 

 only at the beginning of a great movement, and that 

 fresh duties now devolve upon us. It was my privilege 

 for some years to direct the work of a chemistry 

 institute, where research was organised on lines which 

 the operation of the Government scheme will make 

 general. If, from the very nature of things, my 

 experience cannot be lengthy it is at least intimate, 

 and I may perhaps be allowed to lay before you my 

 impressions of the problems we have to face. 



Two main objectives lie before us : the expansion 

 of useful learning and the diffusion of research ex- 

 perience among a selected class. This class in itself 

 will form a new unit in the scientific community, and 

 from it will emerge the " exceptional man " to whom, 

 quoting Sir James Dewar, " we owe our reputation 

 and no small part of our prosperity." When these 

 words were uttered in 1902 it was a true saying that 

 " for such men we have to wait upon the will of 

 Heaven." It is still true, but there is no longer the 

 same risk that the exceptional man will fall by the 

 way through lack of means. Many types of the ex- 

 ceptional man will be forthcoming, and you must not 

 imagine that I am regarding him merely as one who 

 will occupy a university chair. He will lie found 

 more frequently in industry, where his function will 



