NOVEMBEE 9, 1900.] 



SCIENCE. 



699 



confident advance. The practical value of 

 research in pure science is no longer in 

 question. The wise founders of the Eeichs- 

 anstalt made no mistake in coupling an 

 institution for the promotion of technical 

 precision with one for the prosecution of 

 « research in physical science. 



The governing body or Curatorium of the 

 Eeichsanstalt is appointed by the Emperor. 

 At its head is Herr Weymann, Imperial 

 Privy Counsellor. The function of the 

 Curatorium is the appointment of the offi- 

 cials and the general management of the 

 institution. The chief of&cer of the Eeichs- 

 anstalt is the President, and the most dis- 

 tinguished physicist of the realm is sought 

 for this position. Helmholtz was taken 

 from the University in Berlin to become the 

 first incumbent of the oflBce ; after his death 

 in 1893, his successor as professor of physics 

 in the University, Professor F. Kohlrausch, 

 became his successor as President of the 

 Eeichsanstalt. 



The President, who is at the same time 

 director of the first division, is held respon- 

 sible for the successful work of the Eeichs- 

 anstalt. All other officials are therefore 

 subordinate to him. In his absence the 

 duties of his office devolve upon the Director 

 of the technical division. Subordinate to 

 the director of this second division are the 

 professors, associates, and assistants of 

 various grades. A professor in charge of a 

 department has the direction of all those 

 employed in it, including a skilled depart- 

 mental mechanician. 



The specific duties of the President may 

 be briefly enumerated. He must lay before 

 the Curatorium at its annual meeting the 

 following : 



1. A report on the work executed in both 

 divisions. 



2. The plan of work for the undertakings 

 to be carried out the ensuing year. 



3. Propositions relative to the money to 

 be expended for scientific and technical 



work ; also for salaries and remunera- 

 tions. 



4. Propositions relative to the rank of 

 permanent associates and assistants ; also 

 relative to the bestowal of places to work 

 in the Eeichsanstalt as scientific guests. 



He takes a vote on the propositions in 3 

 and 4, and reports the conclusions of the 

 Curatorium to the government for approval. 

 It is also the duty of the President to sign 

 vouchers for all payments, and he is held 

 responsible for the proper expenditure of 

 the money appropriated for the maintenance 

 of the institution. 



The different functions of the two divi- 

 sions composing the institution are defined 

 in rather broad terms. It is the duty of 

 the first division to carry out physical in- 

 vestigations requiring more uninterrupted 

 time on the part of the observer, and better 

 accessories in the way of instruments and 

 local appliances, than private individuals 

 and laboratories of institutions for teaching 

 as a rule can offer. These investigations 

 shall be carried out partly by officers of the 

 Anstalt and partly, under their oversight, 

 by scientific guests and voluntary workers. 

 By scientific guests in general are meant 

 the holders of scientific positions in the 

 German Empire who wish to prosecute 

 scientific researches, the plan of which they 

 have submitted, and for which they have 

 not at home the necessary appliances. They 

 must be recommended by the State in which 

 they reside and must be accepted by the 

 Curatorium. 



Young men may be accepted as voluntary 

 workers who have proved their ability by 

 scientific publications. They will under- 

 take researches which have been deter- 

 mined upon by the Curatorium or the Di- 

 rector ; or they may investigate subjects 

 which they themselves suggest, and which 

 appear to the Director io be practicable and 

 worthy of execution. The scientific results 

 obtained must be published only at the dis- 



