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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXIV. No. ( 



of modern scientific inquiry, the British As- 

 sociation for the Advancement of Science 

 may fulfil a function not less useful than any 

 ■which it has served in the past. Those re- 

 sponsible for the conduct of the association's 

 affairs have not been blind to the changing 

 needs of the changing times, and although 

 there is room for further modification in this 

 direction, the efforts which have been made 

 in the last few years, and are still being 

 made to promote discussions among the dif- 

 ferent sections on subjects of broad and 

 mutual interest, are deserving of all praise 

 and encouragement. It would be a mistake 

 to conclude from the somewhat disappointing 

 attendances at recent British Association 

 meetings that the association has outlived its 

 usefulness. There is need for it to adapt its 

 work to present-day conditions, and as and 

 when this is done the long-hoped-for revival 

 of interest in the annual meetings will nat- 

 urally follow. 



Apart from these fundamental considera- 

 tions, the place and precise time of year fixed 

 for each meeting unquestionably have much 

 to do in determining the number participating 

 in it, and consequently the sum of money at 

 the disposal of the council for scientific 

 grants. In this respect the Portsmouth meet- 

 ing has much in its favor. It will open on 

 Wednesday, August 30, and a careful analy- 

 sis of the attendances at different meetings 

 of the association held at different times of 

 the year has shown that the meetings com- 

 mencing in the last ten days of August have 

 been among the most largely attended of any 

 in the history of the association. Portsmouth 

 itself has many and varied attractions, both 

 for those who regard the week of the associa- 

 tion's meetings as a time for the serious ex- 

 amination of an interesting field of study, 

 and for those who look upon the week rather 

 as a time of pleasant holiday, combining 

 •country excursions with brilliant social func- 

 tions and the occasional hearing of instructive 

 lectures delivered by the most eminent scien- 

 tific men of the day. The history of the town 

 extends back to the middle ages, and reveals 

 constant and growing recognition of the ad- 



vantages conferred on it by its situation, 

 viewed from naval and strategical points of 

 view. Ever since 1295 it has returned two 

 members to parliament, and to-day the popu- 

 lation of the county berough considerably ex- 

 ceeds 200,000. Portsmouth includes within 

 its borders not only a great naval station and 

 arsenal, but a popular watering-place. South- 

 sea; and it is, as everybody knows, within 

 easy reach both of the Isle of Wight and of 

 the New Porest, districts which offer excel- 

 lent opportunities as well for holiday jaunts 

 as for the pursuit of field studies. The town 

 itself is admirably equipped with educational 

 institutions, in which the members of Sec- 

 tion L will find much to interest them, while 

 the dockyard presents an object-lesson in the 

 application of modern engineering science to 

 naval needs which will be appreciated by 

 many besides the members of Section G. 

 The arrangements for the meeting afford a 

 guarantee that visitors will be able to see 

 Portsmouth to the best advantage. Subject, 

 of course, to the limitations imposed by the 

 necessity of safeguarding national interests, 

 special facilities will be afforded to the mem- 

 bers of the British Association to view the 

 dockyard, battleships and submarines and 

 other government establishments. 



The meeting will assemble, as usual, under 

 the patronage of the king. Canon T. G. Bon- 

 ney will be succeeded as president on the 

 opening day by Sir William Eamsay and a 

 very representative body of vice-presidents, 

 including the Princess Henry of Battenberg, 

 Alderman T. Scott Poster, the mayor of 

 Portsmouth, Lord Winchester, Lord Lieuten- 

 ant of the County of Hants, the Archbishops 

 of Canterbury and York, and the Bishop of 

 Winchester; Admiral Sir Arthur William 

 Moore, the Commander-in-Chief at Ports- 

 mouth; Bear Admiral H. G. Tate, the Ad- 

 miral Superintendent of the Portsmouth 

 dockyard; Field-Marshall Earl Roberts, and 

 Major-General J. K. Trotter, the General 

 Officer Commanding Southern Coast De- 

 fenses. As in former years, there will be two 

 evening discourses in addition to the presi- 

 dential address. On Friday, September 1, 



