September 8, 1911] 



SCIENCE 



303 



ably no single remedy applicable; but the 

 introduction of central heating, of gas fires 

 and of grates which permit of better utili- 

 zation of fuel will all play a part in econ- 

 omizing our coal. It is open to argument 

 whether it might not be wise to hasten the 

 time when smoke is no more by imposing 

 a sixpenny fine for each offence ; an instan- 

 taneous photograph could easily prove the 

 offense to have been committed; and the 

 imposition of the fine might be delayed 

 until three warnings had been given by 

 the police. 



Now I think that what I wish to convey 

 will be best expressed by an allegory. A 

 man of mature years who has surmounted 

 the troubles of childhood and adolescence 

 without much disturbance to his physical 

 and mental state, gradually becomes aware 

 that he is suffering from loss of blood; his 

 system is being drained of this essential to 

 life and strength. What does he do? If 

 he is sensible, he calls in a doctor, or per- 

 haps several, in consultation; they ascer- 

 tain the seat of the disease, and diagnose 

 the cause. They point out that while con- 

 sumption of blood is necessary for healthy 

 life, it will lead to a premature end if the 

 constantly increasing drain is not stopped. 

 They suggest certain precautionary mea- 

 sures ; and if he adopts them, he has a good 

 chance of living at least as long as his con- 

 temporaries; if he neglects them, his days 

 are numbered. 



That is our condition as a nation. "We 

 have had our consultation in 1903; the 

 doctors were the members of the Coal Com- 

 mission. They showed the gravity of our 

 case, but we have turned a deaf ear. 



It is true that the self-interest of coal 

 consumers is slowly leading them to adopt 

 more economical means of turning coal into 

 energy. But I have noticed and frequently 

 publicly announced a fact which cannot 

 Ijut strike even the most unobservant. It is 

 this: When trade is good, as it appears to 



be at present, manufacturers are making 

 money; they are overwhelmed with orders, 

 and have no inclination to adopt econ- 

 omies which do not appear to them to be 

 essential, and the introduction of which 

 would take thought and time, and which 

 would withdraw the attention of their em- 

 ployees from the chief object of the busi- 

 ness — how to make the most of the present 

 opportunities. Hence improvements are 

 postponed. When bad times come, then 

 there is no money to spend on improve- 

 ments ; they are again postponed until bet- 

 ter times arive. 



What can be done? 



I would answer : Do as other nations have 

 done and are doing; take stock annually. 

 The Americans have a permanent com- 

 mission initiated by Mr. Roosevelt, con- 

 sisting of three representatives from each 

 state, the sole object of which is to keep 

 abreast with the diminution of the stores of 

 natural energy, and to take steps to lessen 

 its rate. This is a non-political undertak- 

 ing, and one worthy of being initiated by 

 the ruler of a great country. If the ex- 

 ample is followed here the question will 

 become a national one. 



Two courses are open to us; first, the 

 laissez-faire plan of leaving to self-inter- 

 ested competition the combating of waste; 

 or second, initiating legislation which, in 

 the interest of the whole nation, will en- 

 deavor to lessen the squandering of our 

 national resources. This legislation may 

 be of two kinds : penal, that is, imposing a 

 penalty on wasteful expenditure of energy- 

 supplies; and helpful, that is, imparting 

 information as to what can be done, ad- 

 vancing loans at an easy rate of interest to 

 enable reforms to be carried out, and insist- 

 ing on the greater prosperity which would 

 result from the use of more efficient ap- 

 pliances. 



This is not the place, nor is there the 

 time, to enter into detail; the subject is a 



