1908.] 



Anniversary Address by Lord Rayleigh. 



3 



an influence at distances much greater than those usually regarded as 

 molecular — evidence apparently of structure upon an extended scale. 

 Dr. Sorby belonged to a class on whom England bas special reason to 

 congratulate herself, men who pursue science unprofessionally. • The names 

 of Cavendish, Young, Joule, and Darwin at once suggest themselves. 

 It is to be feared that specialisation and the increasing cost and com- 

 plication of experimental appliances are having a prejudicial effect in this 

 regard. On the other hand, the amateur is not without advantages which 

 compensate to some extent.' Certainly, no one who has the root of the matter 

 in him should be deterred by fears of such difficulties, and the example of 

 Sorby suffices to show how much is open to ingenuity unaided by elaborate 

 appliances. 



The name of Sir John Evans must not pass without special notice. There 

 are few in recent years to whom the Society has been more indebted. 

 Many of our Fellows hardly realise how important and laborious are the 

 services rendered in the office of Treasurer. Evans' scientific attainments, his 

 knowledge of the world and of business, and his personal characteristics 

 specially qualified him for office. An appreciation, signed by well-known 

 initials, has recently appeared in our ' Proceedings.' 



On the Foreign List also the losses are heavy. "We have especially to 

 condole with our colleagues in France upon the havoc caused by death within 

 the last year or two. Janssen, and Mascart, who was much missed at the 

 recent Electrical Conference, had reached a full age. But Becquerel was in the 

 full tide of life, and we had hoped to learn much more from him ; as the 

 discoverer of radio-activity, he had opened up inquiries whose significance 

 seems ever on the increase. Science has lost a leader ; his friends and the 

 world a charming personality. 



During the time that I was Secretary, and so concerned with the passing 

 of mathematical papers through the Press, I was much struck with the 

 carelessness of authors in the arrangement of their manuscript. It is 

 frequently forgotten that a line of print in the ' Transactions ' and in the 

 new form of the ' Proceedings ' will hold much more than a line of ordinary 

 manuscript, unless, indeed, the handwriting is exceptionally small. Unless- 

 the authors' indications were supplemented, it frequently occurred that 

 several lines of print were occupied by what might equally well, and in my 

 judgment much better, be contained in one line. Even practised writers 

 would do well, when they regard their manuscript as complete so far as 

 regards matter and phrasing, to go over it again entirely from the point of 

 view of the printing. In this way much expense and space would be spared, 

 and the appearance of the printed page improved. Professor Larmor has- 



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