March 25, 1880] 



NATURE 



487 



of the new ships both in total weight as well as in weight 

 of projectiles fired from the broadside, and right ahead 

 and astern, is much superior to the older two. 



Mr. Scott Russell's paper dealt with the true principle 

 of the resistance of armour to shot. Like everything 

 that comes from his pen, it is written clearly and forcibly. 

 It advances for the first time a rational explanation of the 

 great resistance of steel-faced armour-plates as compared 

 with the old-fashioned armour. 



In addition to the above many other papers were read, 

 some of them being of great interest and originality. 

 For instance, Mr. MacFarlane Grey's paper "On the 

 Simplification of the Thermodynamics of Steam," which 

 however much we may object to the word simplification 

 in the title, is nevertheless a singularly bold and original 

 attempt to account for many of the phenomena of steam 

 and other effects of heat when applied to matter. Want 

 of space however prevents our reviewing this paper in 

 the way it deserves. The same remark applies to Mr. 

 Merrifield's description of Prof. Amsler Laffon's new 

 instrument for calculating simultaneously the area, the 

 statical moment, and the moment of inertia of any closed 

 figure. 



Upon the whole the Institution of Naval Architects 

 must be congratulated upon the very valuable and 

 interesting nature of its transactions. It is only to be 

 regretted, that on account of the large number of papers 

 and the limited time for the meetings, so little time is 

 often left over for discussion. 



THE LOCAL ENDOWMENT OF RESEARCH 



BIRMINGHAM enterprise and Birmingham manufac- 

 tures are known all the world over. One of the 

 present remarkable features of this hard-working provin- 

 cial town is a gradual infusion of the apparatus of scientific 

 culture not before its time. Thus we have now a potential, 

 college, to say nothing of an increase in the number of 

 its educational institutions and scientific societies. One 

 of the most recently founded of these institutions is the 

 Birmingham Philosophical Society — a title which one is 

 apt to associate with respectable dulness — a circulating 

 library, and a well-stocked reading-room. But the Bir- 

 mingham institution, founded only in 1876, is something 

 very different, and bids fair to rival her well-known 

 Manchester sister. Already has the Society published a 

 third thick part of its Pioceedings, containing a number 

 of original papers that would do credit to a London society. 

 But Birmingham is nothing if not innovating ; her poli- 

 ticians founded a new school of politics, and now her 

 men of science have initiated a new departure in the con- 

 duct of scientific societies. This will be plain from the 

 following circular, a copy of which has been sent us : — 



''The Council, having taken into consideration the 

 advisability of establishing an Endowment of Research 

 Fund, will submit the following scheme for the considera- 

 tion of the Society : — 



" Scheme for Establishing and Administering a Fund for 

 the Endowment of Research in Birmingham 

 "The Council are of opinion that this Society would be 

 omitting a principal means of the advancement of science 

 — the end for which all such associations exist — if it 

 neglected the question of the endowment of research. To 

 maintain a successful investigator in his labours, even 



though no results of immediate or obvious utility can be 

 shown to spring out of them, is of interest to the com- 

 munity at large. Indeed it is just because the practical 

 usefulness of such work is not immediate or obvious 

 that it becomes necessary to give special support ; 

 for, otherwise, it would have its own market value, and 

 endowment would be superfluous. But the proper and 

 effectual administration of an endowment fund is perceived 

 to be so beset with difficulty as often to deter even those 

 who recognise the principle, from advocating it in practice. 

 Most of the dangers usually foreseen would, however, as 

 a rule, be avoided, simply by the distribution of such 

 funds from local centres, under such a scheme as is now 

 proposed. 



"The Council are therefore anxious to establish a fund, 

 in connection at once with the Society and the town, for 

 the direct endowment of scientific research. And they 

 are further of opinion that the eminent merits of Dr. 

 George Gore, F.R.S., as an investigator of exceptional 

 originality and success in the domain of chemistry and 

 physics, clearly point him out as fittest to be the first 

 recipient of endowment from the fund. In accordance 

 with these views the Council propose the following 

 regulations for the fund : — 



"1. That the fund be entitled, 'The Birmingham 

 Endowment of Research Fund.' 2. That contributions 

 be invited, payable either at once, or in instalments dis- 

 tributed over a term of years, as individual subscribers 

 may desire. 3. That the money collected be deposited 

 with the Birmingham Banking Company, in the name of 

 the Council of the Birmingham Philosophical Society ; 

 and that all cheques on this fund be signed by the 

 president, the treasurer, and one of the secretaries for the 

 time being. 4. That the management of the fund si .11 

 be in the hands of the Council of the Birmingham Philo- 

 sophical Society, who shall have the power of allotting 

 such sums and under such conditions as they may deem 

 fit to any one or more persons engaged in scientific 

 research, for the purpose of assisting them in carrying on 

 their investigations. 5. The Council shall present a 

 report of their proceedings in connection with the fund 

 at the annual meetings of the Society. 



" Subject to the approval by the Society of these 

 General Regulations, the Council have resolved — 1. That 

 Dr. George Gore, F. R.S., be elected as the first recipient 

 of an endowment from the fund. 2. That in order that 

 Dr. Gore may have greater facilities for continuing in 

 Birmingham his original researches, if the sum collected 

 permit, the amount of 150A per annum for three years be 

 allotted to him. 3. That the first cheque on the ;nm 

 subscribed be payable on the 1st of July of the current 

 year." 



These resolutions were carried unanimously at a full 

 meeting of the Society on the nth inst. It is not neces- 

 sary for us to say a word in praise of the important 

 initiative which has thus been taken by one of the 

 youngest of our provincial societies. The lessons to be 

 derived from this action seem plain. Nothing, we think, 

 could conduce more to the encouragement of scientific 

 research in this country than the establishment in the 

 great centres of wealth or industry of funds similar to that 

 with which the Birmingham Philosophical Society have 

 resolved to endow Dr. Gore. To so enormously wealthy 

 a town as Birmingham what is 150/. or even 1,500/. a 

 year ? And need we remind practical Birmingham manu- 

 facturers that in their own special lines the most lucrative 

 results have been obtained from investigations that 

 originally had no practical ends in view ? Need we also 

 remind them of what during the past few years their 

 balance-sheets have given evidence over and over again 



