628 TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION G. 



Research. 



If there is one thing more than another which the British Association 

 can be congratulated upon, it is the work which it has done in the matter of 

 research, and it is very interesting to go back to the earliest days, more than 

 eighty years ago, and to see how, in very different days from the present, 

 research in all branches of science was encouraged, and what a potent factor 

 the various meetings have been, not only in actually fostering the work of 

 research itself, but in obtaining the recognition which isi accorded to-day. 

 Amongst other things, the National Physical Laboratory stands largely to 

 its credit, as having been first powerfully advocated at one of its meetings. 

 This Section has not been behind the others, and at the present moment there 

 are three Research Committees, viz., those on Gaseous Explosions, Compound 

 Stress, and Impact. The work of the first of these is so valuable that its 

 results have been published all over the world. 



To-day there is a more general recognition of the importance of research, 

 and the recent institution by the Government of a Committee for the organisa- 

 tion and development of scientific and industrial research is the latest indica- 

 tion that the nation is beginning to realise its importance. 



So far from all this making our work less necessary, there is all the more 

 reason why we should have a permanent Committee of Research, because one 

 of the intentions of the new Government Committee is to utilise the mo.st 

 effective institutions and investigators available, and the statement is made 

 that one of the objects of the Government Research Committee is to select and 

 co-ordinate rather than originate, and that one of its chief functions will 

 be the prevention of overlapping between institutions and individuals engaged 

 in research. The Government Committee in question is only dealing with the 

 organisation in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. Now, the great 

 advantage possessed by this Association is the fact that it includes not only 

 Great Britain and Ireland, but all the Colonies, and indeed one of the three 

 researches above mentioned is being carried out in Australia. Another research 

 of the Association is being carried out in Cyprus ; and work is also being done 

 in such places as Jamaica and Egypt. It is more important therefore than ever 

 that the British As.sociation work in research should go on, as, since its members 

 are drawn from all parts of the British Empire, its influence should be 

 correspondingly great. 



There is another reason for research being a subject of a permanent sub- 

 committee, and that is that suggestions for new work are more likely to be 

 matured, and work of an advisory nature made more practical than is possible 

 at one annual meeting. 



There is yet one more reason, which is that, although we have made some 

 progress, we are still far behind Germany in the organisation of research. 

 There is no doubt that our students and scientific men are quite capable of con- 

 ducting researches, but the training for this is like the training for the officers 

 of an army : it cannot be done hastily; and, indeed, men themselves cannot be 

 obtained for this purpose without years of preparation. All such work must 

 be done as a factor in the reorganisation of our manufacturing and commercial 

 resources in the great struggle that lies before us. 



There is one subject which affects both education and research, and might be 

 a matter to be reported on by our Committee. It is very rarely that a pro- 

 fessor is both a good teacher and gifted with the power "of original research. 

 Even when a professor or lecturer is so gifted, however, it is almost impossible 

 for a man to really devote himself properly to research, and at the same time 

 undertake the duties which are attached to a professorial chair. Why not face 

 thi.s subject boldly, even relieve the bad lecturer (there are men who admit their 

 failure in this respect) of a certain amount of liis work, provided he is doing 

 well in research ; or for the man who can do both well, see that he not only has 

 efficient assistance, but even more, that he is given the opportunity of devotin" 

 long periods (for instance, alternate years) entirely to research. 



There are numerous other questions which would come up under this head- 

 ing, and which could be usefully dealt with by our Committee. 



There is one more subject that we might consider, and that is a better differ- 

 entiation of researches -on purely industrial work, such as are often of a most 



