G— ENGINEERING 157 



research, as fundamental research, often finds its home in our Universities, 

 and where there is still opportunity of individualism. 



Then there is the research that deals wholly with the problems of a 

 particular industry — aircraft building, or the development of welding. 

 Here the whole work has a much more restricted field and definite goal. 

 New truths are not sought ; but the means of turning the inventions of 

 others to practical use and the economic solutions of the problems of 

 those concerned in the particular industry whatever it may be. The 

 results can be more or less restricted to the members of the industry that 

 support the research ; and the admitted object is to benefit those members. 



The Mellon Institute in U.S. typifies a rather difli'erent type of co- 

 ordinated research. The Institute has a limited membership. Only 

 one representative of each class of interest is admitted. For instance there 

 is only one yeast firm that is a member. No other would be able to 

 become a member. But of course the boundaries of the interests of many 

 member firms necessarily overlap. The result is that while applied 

 research is being carried on in many different fields in the Mellon Institute, 

 all the members may benefit sooner or later from researches into problems 

 not directly connected with them. The Institute is extremely ably run. 

 The results have been considerable, and private research is enabled to be 

 carried out on a broader basis than would otherwise be possible. 



Finally there is the private research department, large or small, of every 

 progressive company. Here while the results can be kept entirely con- 

 fidential, obviously the scope is in some ways more restricted. Most 

 companies find it necessary to pool inventions, and even so where research 

 is carried on more or less in secret, there is danger that errors of approach 

 may not be realised, until much damage has been done or time lost. 



With these remarks, I turn to the all important question of finance. 

 Research is expensive. Who is to pay ? In the early days of discovery 

 it was inevitably at the expense of the individual, and in this way many 

 private fortunes were spent for the ultimate good of industry and 

 humanity. 



In the nineteenth century, apart from the scientists who spent their 

 private fortunes, research was largely dependent on the endowment of 

 public-spirited benefactors, and to scientific societies. Government, as I 

 have already said, more far-seeing than the general public and in spite of 

 futile criticism, began to aid in a small way from the middle of the century 

 onwards. Generally speaking industry had not realised the importance of 

 research and its attitude was almost hostile until the twentieth century 

 was well on its way. The 3^54,000 raised for the Ramsey Memorial 

 Fellowships, after his death in 1916 ; Sir Alfred Yarrow's ^100,000 in 

 1923, are earlier examples of the efforts of individuals which have their 

 modern counterparts in Lord Austin's and Lord Nuffield's gifts to Oxford 

 and Cambridge Universities. 



But it is now sufficiently admitted that research should be paid for by 

 those who benefit by it — the community and industry. The attitude of 

 industry has changed from indifference to support. ' It is not easy to 



