4 
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. [Sess. 
be done with greater stringency. Complaints have been made of the 
severity of some of the reports by referees. But my experience at the 
Council table has convinced me that, in some instances, the severity is 
justified. Fellows may rest assured that the Council select with great 
care competent specialists to deal with the various subjects, and give 
full consideration to their reports. The great aim of the Council is to 
maintain the high standard of the publications, and at the same time to 
be just to the authors who are carrying on research. 
In my address last session reference was made to the appointment of 
the Committee of the Privy Council for Scientific and Industrial Research 
with an Advisory Council under the chairmanship of Sir William M/Cormick. 
The reports of this Committee and of the Advisory Council for 1916-17 
record important developments which call for special mention. This 
organisation now forms a separate Government Department, having its 
own estimates in charge of a Minister responsible to Parliament. An 
Imperial Trust has been created to hold on behalf of the Department the 
sum of one million pounds, which has been voted by Parliament to cover 
a period of five years. 
The policy of this new Department is that of co-operative industrial 
research where this method of finance is practicable. Its aim is to induce 
manufacturers to form associations for the purpose of research that may 
have a direct bearing on their respective industries. The main objects 
of these research associations are the development of output, improvement 
in quality, and the discovery of new processes. Among the privileges 
obtainable by each firm joining an association the following may be 
mentioned : — It will receive a regular service of summarised technical 
information which will keep it abreast of the technical developments in 
the industry at home and abroad. It will have the right to recommend 
specific subjects for research, and if the Committee or Board of Research 
of that industry consider the recommendation of sufficient general interest 
and importance, the research will be carried out without further cost to 
the firm making the recommendation. It will have the right to the use 
of any patents or secret processes resulting from all researches undertaken, 
either without payment for licenses, or on only nominal payment as 
compared with firms outside the organisation. 
The Advisory Council make an important suggestion regarding the 
constitution of the Councils of these research associations. They recom- 
mend the inclusion of labour, in order that workers may realise how 
science is applied to industry, and that they may urge the claims of 
research bearing on their own health and safety. 
