374 



SCIENCE 



[Vol. LVI, No. 1449 



the fact that the government research scheme 

 was largely modeled on that of the Carnegie 

 Trust. 



In each of these organizations chemistry 

 bulks largely, amd the future of our subject is 

 intimately connected with their success or 

 failure. The issue lies largely in our hands. 

 We must not forget that we are only at the 

 beginning of a great movement, and that fresh 

 duties now devolve upon us. It was my privi- 

 lege for some years to direct the work of a 

 chemistry institute, where research was organ- 

 ized on lines which the operation of the govern- 

 ment scheme will make general. If, from the 

 very nature of things, my experience can not 

 be lengthy it is a.t least intimate, and I may 

 perhaps be allowed to lay before you my im- 

 pressions of the problems we have to face. 



Two main objectives lie before us: the ex- 

 pansion of useful learning and the diffusion 

 of research experience among a selected class. 

 This class in itseK will form a new unit in the 

 scientific community, and from it will emerge 

 ithe "exceptional man" to whom, quoting Sir 

 James Dewar, "we owe our reputation and no 

 small part of our prosperity." When these 

 words were uttered in 1902 it was a true saying 

 that "for such men we have to wait upon the 

 will of Heaven." It is still true, but there is 

 no longer the same risk that the exceptional 

 man will fall by the way through lack of 

 means. Many types of the exceptional man 

 will be forthcoming, and you must not imagine 

 tihat I am regarding him merely as one who 

 will occupy a university chair. He will be 

 found more frequently in industry, where his 

 function will be to hand on the ideas inspired 

 by his genius to the ordinary investigator. 



I have no intention of wearying you by 

 elaborating my views on the training required 

 to produce these different types. My task is 

 greatly simplified if you will agree that the 

 first step must be systematic experience in pure 

 and disinterested research, without any refer- 

 ence to the more complicated problems of ap- 

 plied science. This is necessary, for if our 

 technical research is to prog^ress on sound lines 

 the foundations maist be truly laid. I have no 

 doubt as to the prosperity of scientific indus- 

 tries in this country so long as we avoid hasty 



and premature specialization in those who con- 

 trol them. We may take it that in the future 

 the great majority of expert chemists will pass 

 through a stage in which they make their first 

 acquaintance with the methods of research 

 under supervision and guidance. The move- 

 ment is already in progress. The government 

 grants are awarded generously and widely. 

 The conditions attached are moderate and rea- 

 sonable, and there is a rush to chemical re- 

 search in our colleges. Here, then, I issue my 

 first note of warning, and it is to the pro- 

 fessors. It is an easy matter to nominate a 

 research student; a research laboratory com- 

 fortably filled with workers is an inspiring 

 sight, but there are few more harassing dnties 

 than those which involve the direction of young 

 research chemists. No matter how great their 

 enthusiasm and abilities, these pupils have to 

 be trained, guided, inspired, and this help can 

 come only from the man of mature years and 

 experience. I am well aware that scorn has 

 been poured on the idea that research requires 

 training. No doubt the word is an expression 

 of intellectual freedom, but I have seen too 

 many good investigators spoiled and discour- 

 aged through lack of this help to hold any 

 other opinion than that training is necessary. 

 I remember, too, years when I wandered more 

 or less aimlessly down the by-paths of point- 

 less inquiries, and I then learned to realize the 

 necessity of economizing the time and effort of 

 others. 



The duties of such a supervisor can not be 

 light. He must possess versatility; for 

 although a "research school" will doubtless 

 preserve one particular type of problem as its 

 main feature, there must be a sufflcient variety 

 of topics if narrow specialization is to be 

 avoided. Remember, also, that there can be no 

 formal course of instruction suitable for 

 groups of students, no common course appli- 

 cable to all pupils and all inquiries. Individual 

 attention is the first necessity, and tJhe educa- 

 tive value of early researches is largely derived 

 from the daily consultations at the laboratory 

 ibench or in the library. The responsibility of 

 becoming a research supervisor is great, and, 

 even with the best of good will, many find it 

 difficult to enter sjrmpathetically into the 



