1870. J On Practical Scientific Instruction. 221 



substitution, even in the slightest degree, of scientific knowledge for 

 the knowledge of the special methods of their trades, nor even that 

 they should be largely acquainted with some one branch of science, 

 but that they should be much more largely acquainted than they 

 are with the leading facts and principles of the sciences upon which 

 their own special arts and manufactures depend, and that they 

 should know hoiv such knowledge is applied and how these prin- 

 ciples operate in their several occupations. 



With workmen and managers more scientifically skilled, all our 

 machinery and processes would produce better and greater results, 

 and labour and materials would be greatly economized. Instead 

 of employing the present wasteful system, of making several un- 

 scientific attempts to produce an article, before succeeding, workmen 

 would arrange their plans in a scientific and systematic manner 

 beforehand, and thus be able to succeed in an undertaking at the first 

 attempt. If workmen were more skilled, they might be entrusted 

 with the care and direction of improved machines, by means of 

 which labour and materials might be still further economized, and 

 production increased to an enormous extent. That immense im- 

 provements remain yet to be made in our manufactures is shown 

 by the fact that, even in the steam-engine, which is supposed by 

 most persons to be so perfect, we only obtain less than one-tenth 

 of the mechanical power producible by the heat contained in the 

 coals, the remainder being lost in a variety of ways, largely within 

 the machine itself. 



Not only are workmen and managers in this country insuffi- 

 ciently acquainted with science, but their employers are as a rule 

 nearly equally so, and simply because in the great majority of cases 

 they have been educated in schools where science was not taught. 

 Several manufacturers and large employers of labour have regretted 

 to me the fact, that science was not taught them when they were 

 at school. The general ignorance of science by our manufacturers 

 is also shown by the absurdity of a large proportion of our patents. 

 An advance in such knowledge must in most cases begin with the 

 employers rather than with the employed, for it would be reversing 

 the natural order and fitness of things for the workman to be better 

 acquainted than his master with the employment: knowledge in 

 general should descend from above. 



A greater amount of knowledge of the general principles of 

 science is desirable both in masters and men, and particularly of 

 those sciences which relate to then- trades. It is desirable in the 

 workman, because he is most immediately in contact with the pro- 

 cess, and could therefore more quickly detect a fault and prevent 

 or remedy an accident, and also because he would be otherwise 

 incompetent to understand and carry out the instructions of his 

 master. It is a well-known and frequent complaint with some em- 



