40 president's address. 



of years' service ranking ior pension. Tbis practice has been done away wiih; and 

 a bargain system substituted. A short while ago the growing agonies of heart 

 disease caused Dr. Copeland to feel that he was less able to carry on the duties of 

 his post, and he determined to resign ; but he learnt that nder the scale, and in the 

 absence of any special bargain, the pension he would receive would not suffice for the 

 necessities of life. The only increase his friends could get from the Treasury was 

 an offer to allow him about half-a-crown a week extra by way of a house. 



Indignant and ashamed of my Government, I jjersuaded Dr, Copeland to with- 

 flraw his resignation and to retain the official position wliich he has honoured till his 

 death. 



1 trust, Sir, that this memorandum of mine may cause eminent men of science 

 •who are asked to enter the service of the State when already of middle age to take 

 heed for their future welfare. 



I am, Sir, your obedient servant, 



Ckawfoud. 



2 Cavendish Square, October 28. 



It is more agreeable to uie not to dwell further on the comparative 

 failure of science to gain increased influence and support in this country, 

 but to mention to you some instances on the other side of the account. 

 As long ago as 1842 the British Association took over and developed an 

 observatory in the Deer Park at Kew, which was placed at the disposal 

 of the Association by Her Majesty the Queen. Until 1871 the Associa- 

 tion spent annually a large part of its income — as much in later years as 

 GOOl. a year in carrying on the work of the Kew Observatory, consisting 

 of magnetic, meteorological, and physical observations. In 1871 the 

 Association handed over the Observatory to the Royal Society, whicJi 

 had received an endowment of 10,000Z. from Mr. Gassiot for its main- 

 tenance, and had further devoted to that purpose considerable sums from 

 its own Donation Fund and Government Grant. Further aid for it 

 was also received from private sources. From this Observatory at last 

 has sprung, in the beginning of the present century, the National Physical 

 Laboratory in Bushey Park, a fine and efficient scientific institution, built 

 and supported by grants from the State, and managed by a committee 

 of really devoted men of science who are largely representatives of the 

 Royal Society. In addition to the value of the site and buildings occupied 

 by the National Physical Laboratory, the Government has contributed 

 altogether 34,00OZ. to the capital expenditure on new buildings, fittings, 

 and apparatus, and has further assigned a grant of 6,000^. a year to the 

 working of the laboratory. This institution all men of science are truly 

 glad to have gained from the State, and they will remember with 

 gratitude the statesmen — the late Marquis of Salisbury, the Right Hon. 

 Arthur J. Balfour, Mr. Haldane, and others — as well as their own leaders — 

 Lord Rayleigh, Sir William Huggins, and the active body of physicists in 

 the Royal Society who have carried this enterprise to completion. The 

 British Association has every reason to be proud of its share in early 

 days in nursing the germ at Kew which has at length expanded into 

 this splendid national institution. 



I may mention also another institution which, during the past quarter 



