574 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XVII. No. 432. 



independent institutions of research should 

 stand in relations of wholesome competi- 

 tion to the universities, and by representing 

 a different phase of endeavor should there- 

 by contribute to the broadening of the sum 

 total of influences at vrork for the promo- 

 tion of research. 



7. Endowments for the Higher Coordi- 

 nation of Research.— Whatever may be the 

 development in any of the institutions to 

 which the phenomenal generosity of Amer- 

 ican men of means has contributed, or 

 may yet contribute, it must still remain 

 true that for an indefinite time the whole 

 field of research can not be effectively cul- 

 tivated by any institution, and there must 

 be large need for adjustment and coopera- 

 tion, that the energies of research may be 

 distributed to the greatest advantage. 

 Even if it were possible for any institution 

 reasonably to attempt the whole field, co- 

 operation and coordination in research 

 should be cultivated to prevent wastage by 

 unnecessary duplication and to give the 

 greatest and best results by the adjustment 

 of work to work. At the present stage of 

 development, provision for cooperation is 

 eminently desirable and endowments de- 

 voted to this end give promise of being pre- 

 eminently productive. The ideal scheme 

 of coordination contemplates the correla- 

 tion of talent and equipment in all the 

 institutions devoted to research without 

 regard to institutional relations. It should 

 be as free as human nature may permit it 

 to be from predilection toward one form 

 of institutional organization rather than 

 another. It should be its function to de- 

 velop, to use and to coordinate talent, effort 

 and equipment wherever it may be, quite 

 regardless of institutional connection, or 

 locality, or of other relations than its pos- 

 sibilities of fruitfulness in creative work. 

 It need not be remarked here that we 

 seem to be on the threshold of this great 

 realization, and it is not too much to hope 



that each of the other forms of endowment 

 will, in some large measure, appeal to the 

 phenomenal generosity and appreciation of 

 American men of wealth. 



T. C. Chambeelin. 



I will confine my remarks to the question 

 as to the most effective use of endovraient 

 for the publication of scientific work. 



While in Europe, particularly on the 

 continent, we find numerous publishers 

 who undertake the publication of scientific 

 works and periodicals as business ventures, 

 there is no such publication known in our 

 country, except in the applied sciences or in 

 so far as books can be used as text-books. 

 All work in pure science that is published 

 in our country is published by the help of 

 edowment of one kind or another. 



It is not quite easy to determine the 

 reason that has led to this state of affairs. 

 It may be due partly to the newness of 

 science in America, partly to the great 

 cost of printing, and partly to the limited 

 number of buyers of scientific books; but 

 it seems also probable that the vast amount 

 of scientific publication carried on by our 

 government, and the lavish distribution of 

 its publications have discouraged private 

 enterprise. 



The United States government and the 

 state governments are the most liberal sup- 

 porters of scientific publication. Next in 

 importance are the scientific societies which 

 are distributed all over our country. 

 Third in order are universities and other 

 institutions of learning; and, finally, 

 wealthy friends of science. The total 

 amount of money invested annually in sci- 

 entific publications is quite considerable. 

 A comparatively insignificant part only 

 comes from that part of the public which 

 purchases scientific publications on ac- 

 count of their contents. From an eco- 

 nomical point of view this is an abnormal 

 condition ; and the question arises, whether 



