THE ORGANISATION OF RESEARCH, 



ADDRESS (PAKT l) TO SECTION B (cHEMlSTRv) BY 



Principal J. C. IRVINE, C.B.E., D.Sc, LL.D., F.E.S., 



PRESIDENT OP THE SECTION. 



I AM deeply sensible of the honour done to nie in electing me to this 

 chair, and am well aware of my own unworthiness to occupy the 

 position. Nevertheless, I feel that there is something appropriate in 

 the choice which brings once more into close relationship the University 

 of St. Andrews and the British Association. You will forgive me if, 

 for the moment, my thoughts are focussed not so much on the subject 

 assigned to our Section as on the origin and natiu'e of this annual 

 gathering of scientists. 



The British Association was the product of an age rather tlian the 

 inspiration of any one man, yet of those who first gave practical effect 

 to the movement which has spread scientific learning and has bound 

 its devotees in a goodly fellowship there was no more eager spirit than 

 Sir David Brewster. It is not an exaggerated claim that it was he 

 who founded the British Association. One may trace his enlightened 

 action to a desire to combat the apathy and distrust shown by the 

 Government of his day towards scientific work and even scientific men. 

 Only in the historical sense can I claim any relationship with Brewstei-. 

 It is my privilege to occupy the Principalship he once held, and I 

 cannot escape from the thought that the daily tasks now mine were 

 once his. 



It is thus inevitable that to-day a name often in my mind should 

 spring once more into recollection, especially as my distinguished 

 predecessor was present at the first Hull meeting in 1853, when he 

 cont)'ibuted two papers to Section A. Chemists should be among the 

 first to pay grateful tribute to Brewster's efforts on behalf of science, 

 and I propose, therefore, to include in my address a review of tlie 

 position scientific chemistry has won since his day in pul)lic and official 

 estimation. Moreover, at the express suggestion of some of our 

 members whose opinions cannot be disregarded, I am induced to add 

 the consideration of the new I'esponsibilities chemists have incurred 

 now that so many of Brewster's hopes have been realised. These were 

 recently submitted by me to another audience and, through the medium 

 of an article in ' Nature,' are possibly known to you already, but I 

 agree with my advisers that their importance warrants further elabora- 

 tion and wider discussion. 



It would be idle to recall the lowly position of chemistry as an 

 educative force in this country, or to reconstruct the difficulties with 

 which the scientific chemist was confronted during the first thirty years 



