TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION A. 705 



The importance of distributiug copies of papers in quarters where they are 

 likely to be read has been alluded to in ' Nature ' by more than one correspondent. 

 In order to do this efl'ectively it is necessary that the author should receive a 

 certain number of gratuitous copies. These are supplied by most scientific 

 societies, and also by many of the American and foreign scientific journals. On 

 the other hand, the ' Philosophical Magazine ' refuses to present authors with any 

 t/ratuitous copies, but makes them pay for any that they require. The question, 

 therefore, arises as to whether the proposed ' central organ ' is going to conduct 

 its business on the principle embodied in the Latin maxim, Do ut des, do ut facias, 

 facio ut deSf/acio ut facias, or whether it intends to follow the example of the 

 * Philosophical Magazine,' and try to get all it can without giving anything in 

 return. 



It appears to me most improbable that important and prosperous societies like 

 the Cambridge Philosophical and the London Mathematical (to say nothing of the 

 Royal) would lend a hand in promoting the scheme of a central organ ; and in 

 that event the scheme could not possibly be successful unless it were able to ofiier 

 far greater advantages and attractions to authors than the societies do. 



The only feasible scheme seems to be the publication of a digest of papers by 

 the co-operation of the various scientific societies ; and, if thought desirable, papers 

 published in foreign countries might also be included. In order to prepare the 

 way for such a digest, I should strongly recommend that in future all societies 

 should follow the example of the Incorporated Society for Law Reporting, and 

 require authors to append a headnote to their papers briefly setting forth the 

 object of the investigation. Every three or four years the titles and headnotes 

 of all papers relating to each separate branch of science should be copied out and 

 arranged in proper order, and a series of digests of each separate branch of science 

 should be published. Mathematicians would thus be enabled to purchase the 

 mathematical digests, and chemists the chemical one. They woidd thereby be in 

 a position to find out at a glance what papers have been published on their own 

 special subjects during that period. These digests would do for science what the 

 digests of law cases have done for the legal profession. Thirty years' experience 

 has shown that this scheme would work well in practice ; and as many country 



(solicitors take in the ' Law Reports,' any member of the British Association who 

 desires further information can easily obtain it by applying to one of the leading 

 firms in Nottingham. 



To develop an existing periodical which is a well-known and paying concern is 

 often more successful than to start an entirely new one ; and as many authors who 

 contribute papers to societies send abstracts of them to ' Nature,' it might be worth 

 while considering whether an arrangement could not be made with the pro- 

 prietors of ' Nature ' by which a supplemental number could be issued (say, once a 

 quarter) containing a digest of the most important papers published in the United 

 Kingdom during tliat period. The abstracts (with possibly a little pruning), and 

 also the type used in setting them up, would be available, and the cost of compiling 

 the supplemental number would have to be met by a small extra charge for it. 



A committee of members of the British Association might be formed with 

 advantage for discussing this matter, and drawing up a report embodying the 

 recommendations at which they arrive. A copy of the report should then be sent 

 as soon as practicable (without ivaiting for the meeting next year) to the presidents 



Lof the principal scientific societies, in order that it may be laid before their respec- 

 tive governing bodies. Each of the societies which are concerned with pure and 

 applied mathematics and approve of united action could then appoint a delegate 

 to discuss further proceedings with regard to their own particular subjects, and 

 the same could be done by societies connected with other branches of science. 



9. On a New Form of Air-pump. By Professor J. J. Thomson, F.B.S. 



10. A Peculiar Motion assumed by Oil Bullies in Ascending Tubes 



containing Caustic Solutions. By F. T. Tkocton. 

 1893. z z 



