576 EEPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. — 1916. 



Mr. Alfred W. Oke {Brighton and Hove Natural History and Philosophical 

 Society and South-Eastern Union of Scientific Societies dein-ecated the pay- 

 ment of lecturers. 



Mr. WiLFEED IMark Webb (th© Selborne Society) pointed out that things 

 had changed of recent years, and that it was unfair to ask a man to do what was 

 really part of his professional work for nothing. 



The Eev. W. Johnson (Yorkshire Philosophical Society) reported that a 

 larger series of lectures than ever before was being given in York, mostly with- 

 out fee other than exj)enses. These attracted as large audiences as before. 



On the general question we had to contend with the fact that all science 

 tit.hools were .giving these lectures, covering the ground of our earlier lecturers, 

 and .so only lecturers on advanced subjects were able to attract audiences in 

 general. 



The Rev. T. R. R. Stebbing said, with reference to the payment of scien- 

 tific lecturers : In Nature recently it was urged, as a reason why science was 

 so little thought of in Great Britain, that so much scientific work was done 

 without remuneration. Thoughtless persons were only too apt to apply the 

 dictum current among lawyers that advice gratis is worth just what is paid 

 for it. 



Dr. F. A. Bather (Museums Association) suggested that a fresh .sub-com- 

 mittee v.-as unnecessary. It would be simpler if delegates having proposals to 

 make would send them to Professor Gregory, and if the actual work of organising 

 were left in the hands of bodies already doing it so well as was the Selborne 

 Society. 



Mr. Percival J. Ashton said, in reply, that the discussion had shown a 

 difference uf opinion among the delegates; there were [ft] those who held 

 that to secure competent lectm'er.s fees must be paid ; [b) those who con- 

 sidered it more in accordance with the dignity of a scientific society that the 

 voluntary system should be maintained. For the latter a list of voluntary 

 lecturers would be useful, for the former the Selborne Society's scheme miglit 

 be welcome. Instances could be cited of the professional lecturers on the 

 Society's staff giving voluntary lectures before scientific societies, whilst in 

 a number of cases fees which merely covered expenses were accepted. 



The remarks of Professor Gregory as to the advent of a new type of lecture 

 were of great value, and a beginning in that direction by one of the Society's 

 staff was instanced, and at least a professional lecture scheme in this connection 

 could be promoted irrespectively of the vexed question above alluded to. The 

 discussion had produced valuable criticism, and the British- Association's Com- 

 mittee could be relied on to evolve the most suitable solution of the problem. 



The Conference then adjourned. 



Second Meetinx., Feiday, September 8. 



The Vice-President, ]\[r. Thomas Sheppard, took the Chair, and Alderman 

 Arthur Bennett, President of the Warrington Society, read a paper entitled 



Tlie Federation of Cogiiale Societies. 



According to one of the older standard dictionaries, the word federation is 

 derived from the Latin word fcedus, a league or treaty, and signifies ' the act 

 of uniting in a league; a league; a union for purposes of government.' But, 

 like many other words, it has gradually acquired a wider meaning, and the 

 New English Dictionary, published in 1901, describes it as ' the action of 

 federating or uniting in a league or covenant. Now chiefly the formation of a 

 political unity out of a number of separate states, provinces, or colonies, so 

 that each retains the management of its internal affairs; a similar process 

 applied to a number of societies, &c.' In a little book I wrote in 1892, ' The 

 Dream of an Englishman,' I ventured to define it as ' union for common pur- 

 poses, liberty in matters of separate concern,' and essayed to show that, in this 

 broader sense, it is a clue to the solution uf a host of difficulties, the golden 

 key which would unlock great doors of difficulty hitlierto most obstinately 

 closed. 



In mv vouthful enthusiasm for the new idea, vhicli had dawned upon me 



