3Ai REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. 



the Admiralty), who gave the movement cordial assistance, an interview 

 ■Was held Avith Mr. Balfour, who accorded the Committee a most favour- 

 able reception, and stated that he was convinced that the public advan- 

 tages of standardisation were so great that no one could have any doubt 

 of the importance and magnitude of the movement. He intimated that 

 the financial support sought by the Committee would be forthcoming. 

 Further, that the findings of the Conmiittee would, as far as possible, be 

 adopted for use in the Government Departments, which would at once 

 appoint on the various Committees engineer officers as their representa- 

 tives. 



Subsequently a deputation was requested to wait upon the President 

 of the Board of Trade in regard to the definite financial support of His 

 Majesty's Goveriunent, and as a result of this interview the Treasury 

 included a sum of 3,000/. in the Estimates for 1903-1 as a contribution to 

 the funds of the Committee for that year. At a later date they agreed 

 to extend their financial support over the two following years by giving 

 the Committee a grant in-aid equal to the amount contributed by the 

 supporting Institutions, manufacturers, and others. They have since 

 agreed to continue the grant on a reduced scale to the end of the financial 

 year 1908-9. The view of the Government was that though standardisa- 

 tion deserved their support as large consumers, and from the point of 

 view of its being a national matter in the competition of this country 

 with foreign nations, it was also very distinctly to the private advantage 

 of individual manufacturers as producers, and they rightly made it a con- 

 dition and measure of their support that manufacturers and private com- 

 panies as large consumers should also provide financial assistance. 



The leading manufacturers, railway, and other companies who it was 

 felt would be materially benefited by the work of the Committee were 

 accordingly asked to assist the Committee not only in the nomination of 

 gentlemen to serve on the various Committees, but also to contribute 

 towards the finances required to carry on the work, and to this appeal a 

 liberal response has been received. 



The Indian Government has made a grant of 1,000/. towards the 

 general expenses of the Committee in recognition of work done in the 

 interests of that country, and especially in regard to the report on the 

 Standardisation of Indian Locomotives, which received the approval of 

 the Secretary of State for India. 



The Secretary of State for India in Council has since asked that the 

 Locomotive Committee may be made a permanent body, for the purpose 

 of considering questions remitted to them from time to time by the 

 Railway Board in India. To this request the Main Committee has acceded, 

 and the Indian Government has undertaken to defray the expenses 

 incurred by the Committee in the preparation of reports on any subjects 

 atfecting India remitted to the Committee. 



Though in this country we are not so liberal in the support accorded 

 to scientific investigations as some foreign Governments are, yet the 

 financial support accorded to the Committee by the British Government, 

 as also the recent extension of their grant to the National Physical Labora- 

 tory, form a worthy illustration of how the financial support of an en- 

 lightened Government can be used to foster movements which redound 

 to the good of the community at large, 



