SCIENCE. 



[ToL. I., No. 1. 



discoveries upon which many of the most im- 

 portant scientific inventions of tlie day rest, 

 will be searched for in vain in scientific litera- 

 ture. The telegraph, the telephone, and the 

 electric light are inventions which illustrate 

 the fact now stated, in an eminent degree. 



Another direction in w4iich applied science 

 has been developed in this country is found 

 in the work done by the various government 

 organizations. Is the weather-probability an 

 important factor in the citizens' welfare? 

 Immediatel}' the signal service of the armj^ is 

 developed into a complete meteorological or- 

 ganization to collect data, and deduce fore- 

 casts. Is navigation to be made more safe, 

 and internal boundaries more accurate ? The 

 ■coast and geodetic survey is created to carrj^ 

 on the most refined investigations upon stand- 

 ards of measure, and the various methods of 

 applying them. Is the fishery question an 

 important one to our commercial interests? 

 A fish commission is organized, and under its 

 direction the most elaborate investigations 

 in vertebrate and invertebrate zoology are 

 undertaken. Are the mineral lands of the 

 government to be reported on? Geological 

 surveys are commissioned to explore the pub- 

 lic domain, and are clothed with ample power ' 

 to make their work elaborate and exhaustive, 

 and to embodj' their results in extended re- 

 ports, not alone on the economic side, but in- 

 cluding all the collateral branches of science. 

 Is a knowledge of the properties of iron and 

 steel of essential value in constructive engi- 

 neering? Forthwith a special commission 

 appears, charged with authoritj^ to execute 

 the most refined chemical anal^-ses and the 

 most delicate physical tests upon these metals. 

 Is there danger to agricultural interests from 

 the depredation of insects ? An entomological 

 commission is appointed bj'' Congress, with in- 

 structions to exhaust the resources of science 

 for the protection of the crops. Moreover, 

 besides the work done in this way, special 

 investigations are always in progress under 

 the direction of the departments ; more espe- 

 ciallj' those of war, of the navy, of the treas- 

 ury, and of the interior ; the services of the 



engineer-corps, in river and harbor improve- 

 ments, for example, it is not easy to over- 

 estimate. In the end, it is true, these investi- 

 gations have a practical object ; but to attain 

 this, in manj' cases, theoretical results are 

 reached which are of the highest value to 

 pure science. 



It is no wonder, then, that, in the midst of 

 such kindlj' appreciation by the intelligent and 

 educated masses of our people, — an apprecia- 

 tion manifested alike by personal munificence 

 and hy governmental appropriation, — all the 

 sciences, but especially those which reward 

 appreciation by practical benefits, should have 

 attained their present satisfactorj'' develop- 

 ment. Who can sa}' to how large an extent 

 the eminent position of practical astronomy 

 in America is due to the unrivalled telescopes 

 of Alvan Clark? The wonderful microscopic 

 photographs of Woodward have been made 

 possible onl}' by the perfection to which Tolles 

 has brought his object-glasses. The bolometer 

 of Langlejr has given us new conceptions of 

 sunlight ; and the exquisite gratings of Row- 

 land promise to do still greater things for us, 

 in the same direction. In the experimental 

 sciences especially, their unexampled advance 

 is a continual testimony to the abundant re- 

 turn which practice has made for the benefits 

 it has received from theor3^ 



While the scientific cynic may condemn the 

 utilitarianism of our age, the more liberal man 

 rejoices in it, since science is thereby' the more 

 advanced. He is thankful that the people 

 view these scientific questions with the broadest 

 liberalism ; that they are not disposed to con- 

 fine scientific inquiry to those investigations 

 alone whose results are practical, but pour out 

 their substance freely in aid of scientific work 

 in all directions, theoretical as well as practi- 

 cal, pure as well as applied. This generous 

 disposition toward scientific research, so char- 

 acteristic of this country, has called forth 

 unreserved commendation in Europe. The 

 munificence of the gifts which have been made 

 to science, both public and private, the liber- 

 alitj' with which research has been endowed 

 in America, have been the astonishment of 



