20 THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS 



Wrights made their first successful flight in 1903. In 1904 I myself 

 heard the then First Sea Lord of the Admiralty repudiate with scorn 

 the suggestion that the Government were interesting themselves in 

 the matter ; and I know with equal definiteness that even as late as 

 1908 the Chief of the Imperial General Staff did not believe in the 

 military importance of flight. Would it be fair then to blame the 

 inventors for not having realised it, and for not having stayed their 

 hands ? 



Summing up what may be learnt from the experience of the past, 

 I think we may say that the application of fundamental discoveries 

 in science to purposes of war is altogether too remote for it to be 

 possible to control such discoveries at the source. 



For good or ill, the urge to explore the unknown is deep in the 

 nature of some of us, and it will not be deterred by possible con- 

 tingent results, which may not be, and generally are not, fully 

 apparent till long after the death of the explorer. The world is ready 

 to accept the gifts of science, and to use them for its own purposes. 

 It is difficult to see any sign that it is ready to accept the advice of 

 scientific men as to what those uses should be. 



Can we then, do nothing ? Frankly, I doubt whether we can do 

 much, but there is one thing that may be attempted. The Associa- 

 tion has under consideration a division for study of the social 

 relations of science which will attempt to bring the steady light of 

 scientific truth to bear on vexed questions. We rejoice to know that 

 our distinguished American visitors are in sympathy with this aim, 

 and we hope that our discussions with them will bear useful if modest 

 fruit in promoting international amity. 



