7 
1916-17.] Opening Address by the President. 
the history of the country. On its initiative, a Board composed of repre- 
sentatives of twenty-seven scientific, including technical, societies has been 
formed to consider the relation of science to industry and education, to take 
such steps as may be necessary to promote the application of science to 
industries, and to discuss scientific questions in which international co- 
operation seems advisable. It is fortunate that our Society has two such 
competent representatives On this Board as Professor Gregory and Professor 
Walker, for difficult problems will have to be considered. The Board may 
be helpful in giving advice to the Government about matters affecting the 
reconstruction of our national life after the war. 
The Government has at last recognised that the claims of science in 
relation to industries and education must be regarded from a fresh stand- 
point. Various committees and sub-committees have been appointed to 
deal with numerous complex problems. At present I will call attention 
only to two of these Committees. 
The first of these, under the chairmanship of Sir J. J. Thomson, is to 
inquire into the position of science in our educational system, especially in 
universities and secondary schools. Attention is to be directed to the 
advancement of pure science, and to the interest of trades and industries 
dependent upon the application of science, to the provision of scholarships 
and bursaries for the encouragement of deserving students and scholars. 
The Lord President of the Council has asked that the Committee should 
receive the voluntary assistance of the universities, technical colleges, 
public schools and secondary schools generally, to facilitate the inquiries. 
He recognises that there is urgent need for prompt action on the part of 
the Government. We may reasonably hope for important developments 
from this Committee. 
The Committee of the Privy Council for Scientific and Industrial Re- 
search, with the Advisory Council, under the chairmanship of Sir William 
M‘Cormick, is of outstanding importance. A sum of forty thousand pounds 
has been placed on the estimates for the current financial year, to be 
administered by this Committee (1) “ for instituting specific researches, (2) 
for establishing or developing special institutions or departments of exist- 
ing institutions for the scientific study of problems affecting particular 
industries and trades, and (3) for the establishment and award of research 
studentships and fellowships.” (See Note, p. 9.) 
The National Physical Laboratory and the Imperial College of Science 
established by the Government have rendered valuable service to the State. 
But the scheme now realised of a permanent organisation for the promotion 
of industrial and scientific research is far-reaching. It applies to the 
