THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 11 



of transport by ship, and overseas so far even as the Aiistralasian orchards.' 

 Other directions of research which touch upon commonplaces of our daily 

 life are those concerned with fuel, with illumination, with the deteriora- 

 tion of fabrics and the fading of coloured stuffs, and— perhaps most homely 

 example of all — with the application of scientific methods in the laundry 

 industry. This will be good news to those of us who may have suffered, 

 or may even be suffering to-night, from the torture of a collar which comes 

 back from the wash with an edge like a surgical saw. It must be clearly 

 understood that the few instances mentioned represent only a small 

 fraction of the present activities of Science in co-operation with the State. 

 And expressed as they are here expressed, they may appear to wear an 

 aspect even of triviality, because they deal with common things. But it 

 is precisely because they do deal with common things that they are not 

 trivial. There may be matter for amusement in the fact that Science is 

 concerning itself with the contents of the clothes-basket ; but there is 

 also matter for congratulation, and there may, in the future, be matter 

 for sincere gratitude. Scientific research, properly applied and carried 

 out, is never wasted. It may prove that a thing can be done, or that it 

 can not be done ; but even the proof of a negative may save the waste of 

 further effort. 



This attitude of the State toward Science makes for an easing of the 

 paths for the advancement of science in many directions ; it marks a 

 definite step in human progress, taken after long hesitation, but in itself 

 new ; and because it is new, we may believe with some reason that, we 

 live, not merely in an age of science, but at the beginning of it. The 

 movement for co-operation which we have been discussing is not confined 

 to this country. It has borne fine fruit already in other lands ; and in 

 particular it is active in our own Dominions. The Indian Empire stands 

 in a somewhat different category from these : there is here a tradition, 

 so to say, for the application of science in its government, and the 

 scientific results of its census investigations, its surveys, its agricultural 

 forestry, and other administrative departments have long been famous. 

 This is not to imply that brilliant scientific work has been wanting in the 

 Dominions — far from it — but the co-operative movements with their 

 governments have followed that in this country and with a laudable 

 promptitude. The trend of developments following upon all these move- 

 ments has been similar broadly speaking ; it is sought to take a compre- 

 hensive survey of the natural resources and industrial opportunities of 

 each Dominion, to explore the means by which Science may be best applied 



