October 2, 1903.] 



SCIENCE. 



425 



number of scientific problems is now daily 

 required for the State service, and that 

 in this and other ways the source and 

 standard of national efficiency have been 

 preatly changed. 



ilueh evidence beaiing upon the amount 

 of scientific knowledge required for the 

 proper administration of the public depart- 

 ments and the amount of scientific work 

 done by and for the nation was brought 

 before the Royal Commission on Science 

 presided over by the late Duke of Devon- 

 shire now more than a quarter of a century 

 ago. 



The Commission unanimously recom- 

 mended that the State should be aided by 

 a scientific council in facing the new prob- 

 lems constantly arising. 



But while the home Government has ap- 

 parently made up its mind to neglect the 

 advice so seriously given, it should be a 

 source of gratification to us all to know 

 that the application of the resoiirces of 

 modern science to the economic, industrial 

 and agricultural development of India has 

 for many years engaged the earnest atten- 

 tion of the Government of that country. 

 The Famine Commissioners of 1878 laid 

 nmeh stress on the institution of scientific 

 inquiry and experiment designed to lead 

 to the gradual increase of the food-supply 

 and to the great stability of agi'icultural 

 outturn, while the experience of recent 

 years has indicated the increasing impor- 

 tance of the study of the economic products 

 and mineral-bearing tracts. 



Lord Curzon has recently ordered the 

 heads of the various scientific departments 

 to form a board, which shall meet twice 

 annually, to begin with, to formulate a pro- 

 gram and to review past work. The board 

 is also to act as an advisory committee to 

 the Government,* providing among other 

 matters for the proper coordination of all 



"Nature, September 4, 1902. 



matters of scientific inquiry affecting In- 

 dia's welfare. 



Lord Curzon is to be warmly congratu- 

 lated upon the step he has taken, which is 

 certain to bring benefit to our great de- 

 pendency. 



The importance of such a board is many 

 times greater at home, with so many exter- 

 nal as well as internal interests to look 

 aftei', problems common to peace and war, 

 problems requiring the help of the economic 

 as well as of the physical sciences. 



It may be asked, "What is done in Ger- 

 many, where science is fostered and utilized 

 far more than here? 



The answer is, there is such a council. 

 I fancy very much like what our Prixy 

 Council once was. It consists of repre- 

 sentatives of the ^Ministry, the universities, 

 the industries and agriculture. It is small, 

 consisting of about a dozen members, con- 

 sultative, and it reports direct to the Em- 

 peror. It does for industrial war what 

 military and so-called defence councils do 

 for national armaments : it considers every- 

 thing relating to the use of brain-power 

 in peace, from alterations in school regula- 

 tions and the organization of the universi- 

 ties, to railway rates and fiscal schemes, 

 including the adjustment of duties. I am 

 informed that what this council advises 

 generally becomes law. 



It should be pi'etty obvious that a nation 

 so provided must have enormous chances 

 in its favor. It is a question of drilled bat- 

 talions against an undisciplined army, of 

 the use of the scientific spirit as opposed to 

 the hope of 'muddling through.' 



Mr. Haldane has recently reminded us 

 that 'the weapons which science places in 

 the hands of those who engage in great 

 rivalries of commerce leave those who are 

 without them, however brave, as badly off 

 as were the dervishes of Omdurman against 

 the Maxims of Lord Kitchener.' 



