Febeuary 3, 1905.] 



SCIENCE. 



173 



It is proposed to investigate thoroughly 

 the various methods employed, and to se- 

 lect certain of the best as standard, with 

 the expectation that, using the best re- 

 agents, the results found by different an- 

 alyses may be more concordant and more 

 accurate. Other lines of research and test- 

 ing are eontemphited, and will be under- 

 taken as the facilities permit. 



The field of chemistry, as well as physics, 

 has so expanded in recent years that the 

 two now overlap over large areas. In- 

 deed, it is often impossible to say that a 

 given problem belongs to one or the other, 

 the fact being that it pertains to both 

 fields. Hence, the physicist frequently 

 comes to the point where he needs the re- 

 sources of a chemical laboratory to carry 

 him through a problem supposed to be 

 purely physical, and conversely the chem- 

 ist, not only in electro-chemistry and phys- 

 ical chemistry, but in analytical chemistry 

 as well, requires very many of the facili- 

 ties of a well-equipped physical laboratory. 

 Hence we have so planned our laboratories 

 that all the facilities of the entire equip- 

 ment may be brought into service on any 

 problem, whether it originates on the phys- 

 ical side or on the chemical. This we be- 

 lieve will prove of great advantage to the 

 work of the bureau. 



There are three chemists in the chemical 

 division at present and the number will be 

 increased as the work develops. 



It is the aim of the bureau not only to 

 conduct investigations through its mem- 

 bers, but also to afford facilities for re- 

 search by others who may come as scien- 

 tific guests. It often happens that a pro- 

 posed investigation requires apparatus or 

 other facilities not at the command of the 

 person proposing the investigation, and 

 no university can, perliaps, offer him the 

 necessary facilities and assistance. The 

 bureau of standards hopes to encourage in- 

 vestigation by providing such facilities 



and assistance, but can do .so only 

 to a limited degree until the laboratory 

 space is increased by additional buildings. 

 There are scores and perhaps hundreds of 

 ambitious physicists, young and old, en- 

 gaged in teaching in the colleges and tech- 

 nical schools of the country who are de- 

 terred from doing valuable research work 

 by lack of facilities and assistance. It is 

 believed that a generous policy of assist- 

 ance through the bureau of standards will 

 be greatly appreciated by such workers, 

 and that the output of original research 

 from America will be materially increased 

 thereby. A summer's work under favor- 

 able circumstances might yield as much as 

 a full year's effort under adverse condi- 

 tions, and a year, enough to amply repay 

 the sacrifice it might involve. But, as I 

 have already said, the full realization of 

 this plan lies in the future. For the pres- 

 ent all our laboratory space is required to 

 meet our own pressing needs, although we 

 do have just now one scientific guest with 

 us, about to begin some interesting investi- 

 gations. 



I have tried to show briefly some of the 

 work which the bureau of standards is do- 

 ing and is preparing to do, to fulfill its 

 functions as the American National Phys- 

 ical Laboratory, using the word physical in 

 a liberal sense, as its work includes both 

 chemistry and engineering. The national 

 government is doing a large amount of 

 scientific work, through the various bu- 

 reaus and departments. That money ex- 

 pended in this direction is well invested, 

 the Department of Agriculture, the Coast 

 and Geodetic Survey, the Geological Sur- 

 vey and other bureaus have already abun- 

 dantly proved. Their function and curs is 

 to contribute something to the advancement 

 of human knowledge and to serve the pub- 

 lic. We hope not only to be of service to 

 scientific and technical laboratories in the 

 various ways I have tried to explain, but 



