Mat 23, 1913] 



SCIENCE 



771 



act of patriotism, and patriotism was in the 

 air. While engineers, astronomers and 

 mathematicians were then well represented 

 in the works of those who were serving 

 their country in one capacity or another, 

 it was a difficult matter for those in au- 

 thority to secure authoritative opinions and 

 advice in other branches of science. There 

 was a gap to be filled. By granting a 

 charter to a group of the leading workers 

 in all branches of science on the terms 

 under consideration the gap was filled in a 

 most satisfactory manner. After that act 

 there could no longer be excuse for not 

 seeking scientific advice whenever it was 

 desired or needed. 



How did this work? An examination of 

 the records shows that for a number of 

 years after the National Academy was in- 

 corporated the government perpetually 

 called for reports. Six such reports were 

 made in the first year of the existence of 

 the academy. The subjects were: "On the 

 Protection of the Bottoms of Iron Ves- 

 sels"; "On the Magnetic Deviations in 

 Iron Ships " ; " On an Alcoholometer ' ' ; 

 "On the Explosion of the Boiler of the 

 United States Steamer Chenango' '; "On 

 the Use of Aluminium Bronze for Cent 

 Coinage " ; "' On Wind and Current Charts 

 and Sailing Directions." In 1865 there 

 were two reports; in 1866, four; in 1867, 

 two, both of which are worthy of special 

 mention. They are ' ' On the Improvement 

 of Greytown Harbor, Nicaragua, ' ' and ' ' On 

 Galvanic Action from Association of Iron 

 and Zinc." In 1868 there were two. In 

 1870 there was one report ' ' On the Protec- 

 tion of Coal Mines from Explosions by 

 Electricity"; another "On Eemoval of Ink 

 from Revenue Stamps"; and a third "On 

 Silk Culture in the United States." In 

 1875 and 1876 there was only one each. 

 Then in 1878 there were several important 

 reports — six in all — among them one "On 



Proposed Changes in the Nautical Alma- 

 nac"; another "On the Use of Polarized 

 Light for Determining Values of Sugars ' ' ; 

 another "On the Measurement of the 

 Velocity of Light" and another "On the 

 Preservation of the Writing of the Original 

 Declaration of Independence." While 

 there have been important reports on im- 

 portant subjects since 1878, it is undoubt- 

 edly true that of late years the academy 

 has been called upon less frequently than 

 in the early years. At first the officers of 

 the national government took the matter 

 seriously, and this was to the advantage 

 of the country. But with the multiplica- 

 tion of scientific bureaus supported by the 

 government the need of help from the acad- 

 emy has become less and it is true that 

 some of the subjects already mentioned, 

 and others not mentioned, could have been 

 reported upon by one or another of the 

 existing bureaus had they been in existence 

 at the time. But, even as matters now 

 stand, there is ample room for the kind of 

 activity which was in the minds of the 

 founders. Large questions of a scientific 

 character present themselves from time to 

 time, and it is hard to conceive of a better 

 method of dealing with such questions than 

 that under consideration. In this connec- 

 tion it should be borne in mind that advice, 

 even good advice, is not always heeded. 

 Indeed it may happen that it is treated 

 almost contemptuously. This is well il- 

 lustrated by an actual case which deals 

 with an important governmental problem. 

 Owing to its importance this case may well 

 be treated of in some detail. 



The sundry civil act, approved May 27, 

 1908, requests the National Academy of 

 Sciences to consider certain questions re- 

 lating to the conduct of the scientific work 

 under the United States government, and 

 to report the result of its investigations to 

 Congress. In order that the subject may 



