658 Transactions of section ^, 



the chemistry departmeiir, the scheme should then prove exceedingly valuable, 

 and shoidd be adopted as widely as possible. It should be understood, and the 

 fact might even be adyt^vtised"" by the governiug body, that tor purposes of 

 research work in applied chemistry — but not of course for analytical work—the 

 laboratory of the university, college, or polytechnic is, under certain conditions, 

 at the service of the manufacturers ; that although primarily and unswervingly 

 devoted to work in pure science, such institutions recogaisf that, for their own 

 interests, they must do all they can to assist chemical industries. 



It might be thought that these conditions prevail at the present time and that 

 any manufacturer, if he so choose, may consult the university staff on any problem 

 in which he is interested. Possibly thii is true to a limited extent, but in most 

 institutions the members of the staff are restrained from undertaking any outside 

 work ; in others, such work may only be done with the sanction of the authorities. 



These conditions, of course!^ are only laid down because the governing body 

 believes that they safeguard the interests of the institution, and if it were shown 

 that their enforcement is really contrary to those interests they would soon be 

 abrogated. Many or all such authorities readily permit the members of their 

 staff to undertake' outside examination work because they consider this course to 

 be to the advantage of the. r institution; but how incomparably more important 

 is the object of gaining the confidence and support of the manufacturers. 



Pray do not let it be imagined that this is some subtle scheme for increasing 

 the pecuniary rewards of the teachers. I greatly fear that to many of those who 

 are now engaged in research work the suggestion that they should give some 

 attention to applied chemistry would be very distasteful, simply because it would 

 involve an immediate encroachment on the time, already far too limited, which 

 they are able to give to the immediate scientific problem which is one of their 

 principal joys in life. To those who might have fears of this kind I would point 

 out that there would soon be some compensation ; once the co-operation of the 

 manufacturers is secured, the demand for research chemists would expand, and the 

 laboratories would be filled with students whose help in pure science would be 

 invaluable. 



The possible objection that the teaching staff would devote too much time to 

 applied work and neglect other duties is one which could be left for the governing 

 body to deal with unsparingly. If the institution took some percentage of all 

 extraneous remuneration, or any similar arrangement were made, the funds thus 

 provided could be used for increasing the staff of assistants and demonstrators — 

 a most desirable reform in itself. 



One of the greatest advantages of a working arrangement such as that here 

 indicated would be that, like the method already suggested, it would lead to the 

 evolution of what is otherwise almost unattainable — namely, men thoroughly 

 trained in both science and practice. The research students of the teaching 

 institution, engaged on a given problem for a manufacturer, would of course be 

 allowed to study its practical aspects in the works; on the other hand, works- 

 chemists, with considerable practical experience, would be granted permission to 

 proceed to the university laboratory, where they would study the problem with 

 the assistance of the highest scientific knowledge, and acquire further training in 

 the methods of research. 



Combinations such as these could hardly fail to lead to valuable results, 

 which would form the subject of patents ; the monopolies thus acquired would 

 place the manufacturers in a favourable positiou, and the revival of our chemical 

 industries would follow in due course. There is nothing Utopian in this scheme, 

 and there are no great initial difficulties to be overcome ; it may be set in 

 operation by the manufacturer, and possibly also, as will be indicated later, by 

 the worker in pure st-ience. Readiug between the lines certain records which 

 have recently appeared in the science journals and the patent lists, it may even 

 be inferred that such arrangements are already in force in one of our large 

 industrial centres. 



There are other ways in which it might be possible to obtain the active 

 CO-operatiou of the manufacturers. Any individual or firm interested in ft 



