president's address. 41 



of a century, has come into existence and received, originally through the 

 influence of the late Lord Playfair (one of the few men of science who has 

 ever occupied the position of Minister of a the Crown), and later by the 

 influence of the Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, a subsidy of 1,000?. a 

 year from the Government and a contribution of 5,000?. towards its initial 

 expenses. This is the Marine Biological Association, which has a laboratory 

 at Plymouth, and has lately expended a special annual grant, at the spon- 

 taneous invitation of His Majesty's Treasury, in conducting an investi- 

 gation of the North Sea in accordance with an international scheme 

 devised by a central committee of scientific experts. This scheme has 

 for its purpose the gaining such knowledge of the North Sea and its 

 inhabitants as shall be useful in dealing practically and by legislation with 

 the great fisheries of that area. You will, perhaps, not be surprised to 

 hear that there are persons in high positioias who, though admittedly un- 

 acquainted with the scientific questions at issue or the proper manner of 

 solving them, are discontented with the action of the Government in 

 entrusting the expenditure of public money to a body of scientific men 

 who give their services, without reward or thanks, to carrying out the 

 purposes of the international inquiry. Strange criticisms are oflfered by 

 these malcontents in regard to the work done in the international 

 exploration of the North Sea, and a desire is expressed to secure the 

 money for expenditure by a less scientific agency. I do not hesitate to 

 say here that the results obtained by the Marine Biological Association 

 are of great value and interest, and, if properly continued and put to 

 practical application, are likely to benefit very greatly the fishery 

 industry ; on the other hand, if the work is cut short or entrusted to 

 incompetent hands it will no doubt be the case that what has already 

 been done will lose its value — that is to say, will have been wasted. There is 

 imminent clanger of this perversion of the funds assigned to this scientific 

 investigation taking place. There is no guarantee for the continuance of 

 any funds or offices assigned to science in one generation by the officials of 

 the next. The Mastership of the Mint held by Isaac Newton, and finally 

 by Thomas Graham, has been abolished and its salary appropriated by 

 non-scientific officials. Only a few years ago it was with great difficulty 

 that the Government of the day was prevented from assigning the Director- 

 ship of Kew Gardens to a young man of influence devoid of all knowledge 

 of botany ! 



One of the most solid tests of the esteem and value attached to scien- 

 tific progress by the community is the dedication of large sums of money 

 to scientific purposes by its wealthier members. We know that in the 

 United States such gifts are not infrequent ; they are rare in this country. 

 It is, therefore, with especial pleasure that I call your attention to a 

 great gift to science in this country made only a few years ago. Lord 

 Iveagh has endowed the Lister Institute, for researches in connection with 

 the prevention of disease, with no less a sum than a quarter of a million 

 pounds sterling. This is the largest gift ever made to science in this 



