IVAl'filUAL ADDUKSS*. 
17 
but do&s not solve tlie problem. Can the principle of stenography 
be drawn into use for this purpose ? Classic langufiges, grandly 
developefl more than 2,000 years ago, continue to give an 
antique lirnmess to international writing ; but, after all, England 
has given its language to already one-foni-th of the world, a 
language of powerful conciseness and fle.xible expressibility, 
doubtless destined to become still more and more predominating 
in the course of time. 
There i.s one publication which concerns Australia much, but 
is in its value here too scantily recognised — that of the Royal 
Colonial Institute, a union much brought about by the thoughtful 
activity of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, and largely tending, 
through es.says and discussions of leading colonists, to unite the 
interests of the British Colonies with those of the great home- 
country for more solidifying the Empire. 
Chronologic writings exist for political but not for scientilic 
events; a volume of the History of the British As.sociation 
would almost be equivalent to a connected record of discoveries 
eftected since its founding, as foreign achievements were never 
lost sight of. A history of all universities from original local 
archives would carry authentic ami comprehensive recoi'ds of all 
sciences also into medieval remoteness, and yet could be held within 
trenchant briefness — local extra-academic working not likely 
being passed at the respective seats of universal knowledge. By 
the co-operation of specialists the prominent points of still earlier 
discoveries might be readily adduced quite into the dawn of 
civilisation- 
A new principle for facilitating scientific pursuits deserves to 
be alluded to at this occasion on account of its wide applicability, 
namely : to afibrd special convenience for original research in 
distant countries, as thereby additional inducements are offered 
for particulai' studies far abroad. A commencement thus far was 
made by the estabhshment of the biologic station at Naple.s. 
But to the Dutch belongs the credit of sulopting ampler measures 
in this direction, so far as to tit up local working rooms, and as to 
lessen the expenditure for a lengthened stay of naturalists in 
■lava, one of the most attractive places, as you are aware, for 
whoever wishes to study nature in its tropical grandeur. Several 
leading scientists have availed themselves ah'eady of this induce- 
ment ; and Ceylon — still ne;u'er to Eui’ope — so as to be with 
sutficient advantage witliin reach during the long annual profes- 
sional vacations, is now also I’esorted to. If Australia coukl 
follow this example, we would see oftener on our shores illustrious 
strangei-s, who might wish to spend a scientific furlough rather 
among widely different scenes in nature, and to roam among 
a vast number of new objects, than to travel within much traverseil 
and scientifically more exhausted are.as ; and they might perhiips 
come accredited also as delegates to the Australian Association — ■ 
B 
