August, 1910.] 



161 



Miscellaneous. 



branches, as well as special articles on 

 subjects connected with the industrial 

 utilization of mineral and vegetable 

 products ; and in a Centre Stand in 

 connection with the public exhibition 

 galleries, where personal attention is 

 given to enquirers, and publications are 

 distributed. 



The Colonial and Indian collections are 

 open free to the public daily. These are 

 very comprehensive, and being arranged 

 on a geographical system, convenient 

 for reference. The Library and Reading 

 Rooms give facilities for access both to 

 standard and current scientific and 

 commercial publications ; they are avail- 

 able for Life Fellows of the Imperial 

 Institute, as well as for others who have 

 obtained a proper introduction. 



The Scientific and Technical Depart- 

 ment was established for the purpose of 

 making expert enquiry into the proper- 

 ties and possible uses of new or unex- 

 ploited natural products from the 

 Colonies and India, and of giving trust- 

 worthy scientific advice on matters 

 connected with industries that are 

 already well established in those parts 

 of the world. This work is by no means 

 of the nature of a merely academic type 

 of investigation. It is technical, and is 

 directed with the chief aim of becoming 

 useful commercially. Its scope cannot 

 be indicated better than by quoting 

 from the Report already cited ; ' Mate- 

 rials are first investigated in the re- 

 search laboratories of the department, 

 and are afterwards submitted to further 

 technical trials by manufacturers and 

 other experts, and finally are commer- 

 cially valued.' This work is chiefly ini- 

 tiated by the Home and Colonial Govern- 

 ments and the Government of India. It 

 may also be undertaken for British 

 representatives abroad, through the 

 medium of the Foreign Office. Investi- 

 gations on behalf of private individuals 

 are only made under special circum- 

 stances. Other means for increasing the 

 effectiveness of this department are the 

 maintenance of a sample room by it, 

 where samples of the products which 

 have been dealt with up to the present 

 are kept ; co-operative work with the 

 Agricultural and Mines Departments in 

 the Colonies ; mineral surveys under the 

 supervision of the Director ; and arrange- 

 ments by which the operations of the 

 Agricultural Departments in West 

 Africa are correlated with the work of 

 the Imperial Institute. 



The Bulletin of the Imperial Institute 

 is, as has been stated, published quar- 

 terly. Its scope may be indicated by 

 reference to the contents of a recent 

 number (Vol. VII, No. 2). These in- 

 21 



eluded : Recent investigations in regard 

 to food grains, cotton, fibres, rubber, and 

 graphite ; general notices regarding the 

 occurrence, use and development of 

 economic products such as tungsten 

 ores, pepperiment oil, silk from the 

 Tussore silkworm, and cacao ; general 

 notes in connection with various publi- 

 cations and with samples that have been 

 submitted for examination ; summaries 

 of recent reports and other publications 

 received at the Imperial Institute from 

 Agricultural and Technical Departments 

 in the Colonies and India, as well as of 

 general Colonial and Indian publications ; 

 notices of recent scientific literature ; 

 and a list of recent additions to the 

 Library. This will serve to show the 

 wide range of subjects dealt with in the 

 Bulletin. The Centre Stand for the 

 facilitation of the distribution of liter- 

 ature and the provision of personal 

 attention and advice contains a supply 

 of pamphlets, circulars, hand-books, etc.; 

 which are intended to be of use chiefly 

 to the scientific or commercial enquirer, 

 and to the intending emigrant. 



From a less general point of view, 

 other interests that are served by the 

 Imperial Institute are those of the 

 administrative departments in East and 

 West Africa, and of representatives from 

 the Colonies or India who may require 

 room for meetings or receptions in 

 London. In regard to the first, special 

 courses in tropical hygiene, law, account- 

 ing and tropical resources are provided 

 for candidates who have been selected for 

 administrative appointments in East 

 and West Africa, instruction being given 

 in the last subject by members of the 

 Scientific Staff of the Institute. 



Until the end of 1902, the Imperial 

 Institute was managed by a Governing 

 Body and an Executive Council, on the 

 latter of which the Indian Empire and 

 all the British Colonies and Depen- 

 dencies were represented. After this, 

 its management was transferred by Act 

 of Parliament to the Board of Trade, 

 assisted by an Advisory Committee. 

 This Committee includes representatives 

 of the Colonies and India, and of the 

 Colonial and India Offices, the Board of 

 Agriculture and the Board of Trade. 

 During last year, great progress was 

 made in improving the Colonial and 

 Indian Collections. This was effected 

 by reorganization and the receipt of 

 fresh exhibits, the arrival in London of 

 exhibits from all parts of the British 

 Empire for display at the Franco-Britiph 

 Exhibition at Shepherd's Bush affording 

 an especially good opportunity for re- 

 plenishment. 



