for the year 1874. 



be found to undertake the work, would eventually become 

 a great national boon, and result in benefit to the whole 

 community. 



One of the members of the English Science Commission, 

 referring to this point, says : " Investigations connected 

 with almost the whole of our material economy are required. 

 There is no question connected with sanitary improvement, 

 with water supply, or sewage, or telegraphy, or the enor- 

 mous number of the requirements of the army and navy, 

 which would not derive advantage more or less from inves- 

 tigations of a physical nature, such as would be conducted 

 in a physical laboratory. I think that the whole of our 

 naval and military and social economy is dependent upon 

 investigations such as would be carried on in a physical 

 laboratory." 



Another, Sir William Thomson, writing concerning the 

 objects to be gained by the establishment of a Council of 

 Science, says : " The immediate utility of the work is 

 undoubtedly a very important object, and perhaps may be 

 considered to be the first duty of the Government ; but yet 

 there is another duty which, although we cannot call it the 

 first duty, is certainly not an inferior duty, and that is, to 

 promote the honour of this country. There can be no doubt 

 but that the inhabitants of this country do get benefit from 

 the feeling of satisfaction that naturally results from any 

 great scientific discoveries or great advances in science made 

 by their own countrymen, and especially by the assistance 

 of their own Government. The Royal Observatory at 

 Greenwich is an honour and a glory to this country ; and I 

 am quite sure that the money paid for it is very well spent 

 in the satisfaction that the country feels in the honour of 

 having one of the greatest and best, if not the greatest and 

 best, of scientific astronomical observatories in the world. 

 This country undoubtedly has a great permanent possess: on 



