ADDRESS. 31 



making the acquaintance of leaders in science, and thereby obtaining 

 their directing influence. 



It thus encourages, in the first place, opportunities of combination, 

 but, what is equally important, it gives at the same time material assist- 

 ance to the investigators whom it thus brings together. 



The reports on the state of science at the present time, as they appear 

 in the last volume of our Proceedings, occupy the same important position, 

 as records of science progress, as that occupied by those Reports in our 

 earlier years. "VVe exhibit no symptom of decay. 



Science in Germany fostered by the State and Municipalities. 



Our neighbours and rivals rely largely upon the guidance of the State 

 for the promotion of both science teaching and of research. In Germany 

 the foundations of technical and industrial training are laid in the Real- 

 schulen, and supplemented by the Higher Technical Schools. In Berlin 

 that splendid institution, the Royal Technical High School, casts into 

 the shade the facilities for education in the various Polytechnics which we 

 are now establishing in London. Moreover, it assists the practical work- 

 man by a branch department, which is available to the public for testing 

 building materials, metals, paper, oil, and other matters. The standards 

 of all weights and measures used in trade can be purchased from or tested 

 by the Government Department for Weights and Measures. 



For developing pure scientific research and for promoting new applica- 

 tions of science to industrial purposes the German Government, at the 

 instance of von Helmholtz, and aided by the munificence of Werner 

 von Siemens, created the Physikalische Technische Reichsanstalt at 

 Charlottenburg. 



This establishment consists of two divisions. The first is charged 

 with pure research, and is at the present time engaged in various thermal, 

 optical, and electrical and other physical investigations. The second 

 branch is employed in operations of delicate standardising to assist the 

 wants of research students — for instance, dilatation, electrical resistances, 

 electric and other forms of light, pressure gauges, recording instruments, 

 thermometers, pyrometers, tuning forks, glass, oil-testing apparatus, 

 viscosity of glycerine, &c. 



Dr. Kohlrausch succeeded Helmholtz as president, and takes charge 

 of the first division. Professor Hagen, the director under him, has 

 charge of the second division. A professor is in charge of each of the 

 several sub-departments. Under these are various subordinate posts, held 

 by younger men, selected for previous valuable work, and usually for a 

 limited time. 



The general supervision is under a Council consisting of a president, 

 who is a Privy Councillor, and twenty-four members, including the 

 president and director of the Reichsanstalt ; of the other members, about 

 ten are professors or heads of physical and astronomical observatories 



