TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 55 



CHEMISTET. 

 Address by "William Henet Peekin, F.R.S., President of the Section. 



Thkbe can be no doubt that chemistry and the allied sciences are now being re- 

 cognized to a much greater extent in this country than in former years ; and not 

 only so, the workers at research, though still small in number, are more numerous 

 than they were. 



In 1868 Dr. Frankland, in his Address to this Section at the Meeting at Norwich, 

 commented upon the small amount of original research then being carried on in the 

 United Kingdom ; but, judging from the statistics of the Chemical Society, this 

 state of things became even worse ; for in 1868 there were forty-eight papers read 

 before the Society, but in 1872 only twenty-two. Since then, however, there has 

 been a considerable increase in the number ; and at the Anniversary Meeting in 

 March last it was shown that the number of communications for the session had 

 risen to sixty-six, or three times as many as in 1872. 



Of course these figures only refer to the Chemical Society ; but I think they may 

 be taken as a very safe criterion of the improved state of things, though it would 

 be very gratifying to see much gi-eater activity. 



It is also very pleasing to find that the aids to and opportunities for research are 

 increasing, because it must be remembered that, in a pecimiary sense, science is 

 far from being its own rewarder at the time its truths are being studied, although 

 the results very often become eventually of the greatest practical value ; hence the 

 wisdom of a country encouraging scientific research. 



But little, however, has been done in this direction in past years — the grants 

 made for general science by this Association, and that of the Government of one 

 thousand pounds annually to the Royal Society, being the most important. 



The Chemical Societj' has also been in the habit of giving small grants for the 

 purpose of assisting those engaged in chemical research. In the future, however, it 

 will be able to do much more than hitherto. One of the original members of the 

 Society, Dr.LongstafF, offered intheearlypart of the year to give one thousand pounds 

 provided a similar sum could be raised, the united amount to be invested and the 

 interest applied for the encouragement of research. I am happy to say that rather 

 more than the required sum has been raised, and it is hoped that it may be still 

 fm'ther supplemented. 



In addition to the Royal-Society grant, the Government have given this year a 

 further annual sum of four thousand pounds. Of com'se this is for science gene- 

 rally. 



Mr. T. J. Phillips Jodi-eU has also placed at the disposal of the Royal Society 

 the munificent sum of six thousand pounds to be applied in any manner that they 

 may consider for the time being most conducive to the encouragement of research 

 in Physical sciences. 



When we consider how much of our science is of a physical nature, we must be 

 grateful for this bequest ; and it is to be hoped tliat these helps will more and more 

 stimulate research in the United Kingdom ; and if we have any hope of keeping pace 

 with the large amount of work now being carried on in other countries, we must 

 indeed be energetic. 



The employment of well-trained chemists in chemical works is now becoming 

 much more general than heretofore, especially on the continent, where in some 

 cases a considerable staff is employed and provided with suitable appliances, &c., 

 for the purpose not only of attending to and perfecting the ordinary operations 

 which are in use, but to make investigations in relation to the class of manufacture 

 they are engaged in. A conviction of the necessity of this is gaining strength in 

 this country, though not so quickly as might be desired ; nevertheless these things 

 ai'e encouraging. 



With reference to the progress of chemistry and what have been the fi'uits of re- 

 search of late years, it will be impossible for me to give even a general outline, 

 the amount of work being so large ; in fact, to recount the list of investigations 

 made during the past year would take up most of the time at my disposal. 



