394 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLIX. No. 1269 



abandoned. In April, 1918, Baird received an 

 imperative caE to Washington, to serve on the 

 committee concerned with plans for the re- 

 education and reestablishment o£ disabled sol- 

 diers. He devoted himself strenuously to this 

 new work, the bm-den of which undoubtedly 

 hastened his end. He broke down in Novem- 

 ber, and did not again leave the hospital. 



The loss of a man of Baird's caliber would 

 be a heavy blow to any science at any junc- 

 ture: it is an especially heavy blow to psy- 

 chology, whose academic representation is 

 meager and which has recently suffered other 

 and serioiis losses. His untimely death leaves 

 a gap in our professional ranks, of which we 

 shall become more and more sensible as the 

 years go on. But what is now uppermost in 

 our minds is the feeling of personal bereave- 

 ment. Baird had, in very exceptional degree, 

 the gift of loyal friendship. He made friends 

 everywhere, with all sorts and conditions of 

 men, and the friendships held; his open and 

 cordial nature, his sturdy optimism, and his 

 frank address, were irresistible. Those who 

 were privileged to be his intimates will miss 

 him sorely. It is a satisfaction to remember 

 that during tlie last year of his life he received 

 the highest honor his colleagues could bestow, 

 the presidency of the American Psycholog-ical 

 Association. E. B. Titci-iener 



SCIENTIFIC EVENTS 



REWARDS FOR BRITISH WAR INVENTIONS 



The appointment of a royal commission to 

 determine what awards and royalties shall be 

 paid to inventors in respect of the use of their 

 inventions by government departments during 

 the war is announced in The London Times. 

 Mr. Justice Sargant is the chairman of the 

 commission, and its other members are: Pro- 

 fessor the Hon. E. J. Strutt, F.E.S., Sir 

 James Johnston Dobbie, D.Sc, LL.D., Mr. G. 

 L. Barstow, C.B., Mr. W. Temple Pranlvs, C.B., 

 Mr. A. Clayton Cole, Mr. H. J. Mackinder, 

 M.P., and Mr. Eobert Young, M.P. The com- 

 mission has now issued, and is published in 

 the London Gazette. 



Certain special conditions are provided as 

 follows : 



1. In any case of user or alleged user of any 

 patented invention for the services of the 

 Crown by any government department and of 

 default of agreement as to the terms of user, 

 the commissioners, upon the application of the 

 patentee and agreement to accept their deter- 

 mination, may proceed to settle,, and may 

 settle the terms of user in lieu and place of the 

 treasury: Provided that the commissioners 

 shall not actually award to the patentee any 

 sum or sums of money whether by way of a 

 gross sum or by way of royalty or otherwise 

 which shall together exceed an aggregate sum 

 of £50,000 beyond and in addition to any al- 

 lowance the commissioners may think fit to 

 make for outlay and expenses in connection 

 with the invention; but the commissioners, if 

 of opinion that the patentee is fairly entitled 

 to a remuneration exceeding the said aggre- 

 gate sum of £50,000, may make a recommen- 

 dation to the treasury as to any such excess, 

 with a statement of their reasons for such rec- 

 ommendation. 



2. In any case where terms of user of any 

 patented invention (including any terms as to 

 selling for use, licensing, or otherwise dealing 

 with any article made in accordance there- 

 with, or any terms as to assignment of an in- 

 vention under section 30 of the Patents and 

 Designs Act, 1907), have been agreed, or are 

 in course of agreement, between the patentee 

 and any government department, the commis- 

 sioners may on the application of the treasury 

 make any recommendation as to the giving or 

 withholding by the treasury of approval of 

 such agreement or proposed agreement, and 

 may as^st in adjusting or determining any 

 term or terms of any proposed agreement as 

 to which the parties may not be fully agreed. 



3. In any case of user or alleged user for the 

 services of the Crown by any government de- 

 partment of any inventions, designs, drawings 

 or processes which, though not conferring any 

 monopoly against the Crown or any statutory 

 right to payment or compensation, may never- 

 theless appear from their exceptional utility or 

 otherwise to entitle the inventor, author or 

 owner thereof to some remuneration for such 

 user (including user or by way of selling for 



