PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 11 



for the anatomist than the engineer, whether the human 

 eye is developing the power to withstand, without injury, 

 the intense brightness provided by modern electrical and 

 gas engineers, for the aim seems to be, not the same light 

 at less expense, but increased light even at increased 

 expense. Some of the old and widely read books of 300 

 years ago, such as the first English Bibles, which must 

 have been largely read by rushligh ts and without spectacles, 

 are of such small print as to tax our eyes even now with 

 this aid, and by modern lights. I remember, when I first 

 visited Paris, nearly 40 years ago, one of the first impres- 

 sions received was being almost dazzled by the brilliancy 

 of the street lamps and shop lights, yet they consisted of 

 the now despised dull yellow gas jets. In those days, 

 spectacles on children were absolutely unknown. 



Electricity has been said to be the most versatile and 

 controllable means of conveying power yet discovered by 

 man, and, in each phase of its activity, it represents an 

 advance in the conquest of nature by means of its own 

 laws, and by bending its forces to the improvement of all 

 conditions of life. What that advance has been, is shewn 

 by the fact that in the United Kingdom in 1896, 1901, and 

 1903, there were sold respectively 30, 110, and 345 millions 

 of B.T. units, all this being due, primarily, to the scientists, 

 from the humble beginnings of the Elizabethan William 

 Gilbert, to the brilliant but more specialized men of the 

 present age. 



Chemical welding is a notable instance of quite recent 

 adoption, where science has had the chief part, in an 

 engineering contrivance of great value and widespread use. 



The compounding of steam engines, and the improve- 

 ments in the turbine, have gone a long way towards economy 

 in median ical power, where they are applicable, and 

 especially in the latter, in reducing weight and vibration, 

 as well as superintendence. 



