514 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLIV. No. 1137 



nomenon observed to a process of inquiry- 

 employing scientific methods, with a view 

 to removing from the lamps an objection- 

 able characteristic. The pure scientist at 

 the same time investigates in precisely the 

 same manner the same phenomenon, but 

 with the purpose of obtaining an explana- 

 tion of a physical occurrence, the nature of 

 which can not be explained by known facts. 

 Although these two researches are con- 

 ducted in exactly the same manner, the one 

 nevertheless comes under the head of indus- 

 trial research and the other belongs to the 

 domain of pure science. In the last anal- 

 ysis the distinction between pure scientific 

 research and industrial scientific research 

 is one of motive. Industrial research is al- 

 ways conducted with the purpose of accom- 

 plishing some utilitarian end. Pure scien- 

 tific research is conducted with a philo- 

 sophic purpose, for the discovery of truth, 

 and for the advancement of the boundaries 

 of human knowledge. 



The investigator in pure science may be 

 likened to the explorer who discovers new 

 continents or islands or hitherto unknown 

 territory. He is continually seeking to ex- 

 tend the boundaries of knowledge. 



The investigator in industrial research 

 may be compared to the pioneers who 

 survey the newly discovered territory in the 

 endeavor to locate its mineral resources, 

 determine the extent of its forests, and the 

 location of its arable land, and who in other 

 ways precede the settlers and prepare for 

 their occupation of the new country. 



The work of the pure scientists is con- 

 ducted without any utilitarian motive, for, 

 as Huxley says, "that which stirs their 

 pulses is the love of knowledge and the joy 

 of discovery of the causes of things sung 

 by the old poet — the supreme delight of ex- 

 tending the realm of law and order ever 

 farther towards the unattainable goals of 

 the infinitely great and the infinitely small, 



between which our little race of life is 

 run." While a single discovery in pure 

 science when considered with reference to 

 any particular branch of industry may not 

 appear to be of appreciable benefit, yet 

 when interpreted by the industrial scien- 

 tist, with whom I class the engineer and the 

 industrial chemist, and when adapted to 

 practical uses by them, the contributions 

 of pure science as a whole become of incal- 

 culable value to all the industries. 



I do not say this because a new incentive 

 is necessary for the pure scientist, for in 

 him there must be some of the divine spark 

 and for him there is no higher motive than 

 the search for the truth itself. But surely 

 this motive must be intensified by the 

 knowledge that when the search is re- 

 warded there is sure to be found, sooner or 

 later, in the truth which has been discov- 

 ered, the seeds of future great inventions 

 which will increase the comfort and con- 

 venience and alleviate the sufferings of 

 mankind. 



By all who study the subject, it will be 

 found that while the discoveries of the pure 

 scientist are of the greatest importance to 

 the higher interests of mankind, their prac- 

 tical benefits, though certain, are usually- 

 indirect, intangible or remote. Pure scien- 

 tific research unlike industrial scientific re- 

 search can not support itself by direct 

 pecuniary returns from its discoveries. 



The practical benefits which may be im- 

 mediately and directly traced to industrial 

 research, when it is properly conducted, are 

 so great that when their importance is 

 more generally recognized industrial re- 

 search will not lack the most generous en- 

 couragement and support. Indeed, unless 

 industrial research abundantly supports 

 itself it will have failed of its purpose. 



But who is to support the researches of 

 the pure scientist, and who is to furnish him 

 with encouragement and assistance to pur- 



