86 Anniversary Address by Lord Rayleigh. [Nov. 30, 



the importance of adequate indexes of the vastly increasing literature of 

 science. 



Of the activities working under the Eoyal Society the one with which 

 I have "been especially connected is the National Physical Laboratory. 



In their Eeport for the past year the Executive Committee call attention 

 to the loss they have sustained by the deaths of Sir Edward Carbutt and 

 Sir Bernhard Samuelson, both members of the Committee and warm 

 supporters of its work. 



The Eeport shows continued progress. As a result of a memorial to the 

 Chancellor of the Exchequer, signed by about 150 Members of Parliament, 

 the Grant for building and equipment for the year was increased from 

 £5000 to £10,000, and this has enabled the Committee to take in hand 

 some urgently needed extension. 



Buildings are now in course of erection for Metrology and for Metallurgical 

 Chemistry, while the Engineering Laboratory is being doubled in area. 

 The two last additions were called for in great measure in consequence of an 

 arrangement with the India Office whereby the testing work required for the 

 Indian Government, hitherto carried on at Coopers Hill, is to be transferred 

 to the Laboratory. The Indian Government provide the testing machine 

 and other appliances required for the work, and, in addition, have intimated 

 their intention of placing in the charge of the Committee the very admirable 

 electrical equipment now at Coopers Hill. 



Towards the equipment of the Metallurgical Laboratory the Goldsmiths' 

 Company have made a very generous donation of £1000, while the Govern- 

 ments of New Zealand and Western Australia have contributed £100 each 

 to the equipment of the Metrological Laboratory. 



The buildings of the Electrical Laboratory have been completed, and were 

 formally opened by the Eight Hon. E. B. Haldane in June last. On this 

 occasion many representatives of electrical industry from various parts 

 of the world, who were attending the special conferences of the Institution 

 of Electrical Engineers, were present, and joined in the inspection of the 

 Laboratory. 



After the meeting Sir John Brunner announced his intention of subscribing 

 £5000 towards the equipment of the various buildings now in hand. 



A number of important researches, a list of which is given in the Eeport, 

 have been published during the year, and others are in a forward state 

 of preparation for publication. Dr. Carpenter and Mr. Edwards have com- 

 pleted the first part of their research into the properties of the copper- 

 aluminium alloys for the Alloys Eesearch Committee. Dr. Stanton and 

 Mr. Bairstow have read a paper before the Institution of Civil Engineers on 



