1917.] The Fourth Indian Science Congress. cxliii 



* 



Like the British Association we may, I think, safely say 

 that we contemplate no interference with the ground occupied 

 bv other institutions. 



The objects of the British Association were at the outset 

 declared to be : — 



"To give a stronger impulse and a more systematic direc- 

 tion to scientific enquiry, — 



to promote the intercourse of those who cultivate science 



in different parts of the British Empire, with one another 



and with foreign philosophers. — 

 to obtain a more general attention to the objects of science, 



and a removal of any disadvantages of a public kind 



which impede its progress." 

 These have remained its avowed objects for 85 years. 



To speak of the last of these first, it has not the force now 

 which it had in the early part of last century. There may still 

 be comparatively few " whose favoured steps the lamp of 

 science through the jealous maze of nature guides/' but there 

 is no comparison between the amount of general attention the 

 objects of science now receive and the state of things in 1831. 

 So far as a general appreciation of science, its aims and methods 

 was concerned, those days were not so very very far removed 

 from the time when " chymistes were distillers of waters," or 

 people who " turned" — or were supposed to turn — " everything 

 into siluer," or perhaps in the East from the time when " the 

 most eager search was the transmutation of metals and the 

 elixir of immortal health." Indeed, within the year jufct closed 

 a gentleman came to the Institute of Science to show us how 

 to obtain gold from egg-shells, and not long ago I received a 

 postal order of no small amount with a request that the value 

 might be remitted in boxes of our best brain pill3 



Science of some sort is now being very widely taught at all 

 stages of education, and so far from its progress being impeded 

 as used to be the case by disadvantages of a public kind, most 

 Governments are more or less alive to the importance of de- 

 voting public funds in furtherance of scientific work and 

 almost every Honours list now contains the names of men distin- 

 guished in science. 



In this countrv the various Governments have made a 

 very fair beginning in the matter of funds 



It is impossible and would be of little value for our pur 

 poses to estimate the amount devoted to scientific teaching 

 in schools and colleges by the various Education Departments. 

 1 have, however, endeavoured, with the kind assistance of the 

 Hon'ble Mr. Davidson and the Financial Department of the 

 Government of Madras, to form some idea of the amount being 

 spent upon original research and other higher scientific work 



throughout the country. 



