4 
Ihe Committee expressed its willingness to consider in the meantime such pro- 
posals as could be put before it in a sufficiently complete form either by the Colonial 
Office or by Colonial officers on leave in this country. Prior to the receipt of replies 
to these despatches the Committee found it possible to take definite action in regard 
to two such matters only, namely, a proposal made by the Governor, of the Bahamas 
l or the investigation of sponge, and a proposal made by the Colonial Office and the 
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries jointly for the preparation of a report upon 
Colonial fishes. 
Having regard to the temporary nature of the grant for Colonial research, the 
Committee decided that they could not undertake any responsibility for the main¬ 
tenance, as distinguished from the equipment, of any permanent institution. For 
various reasons, among which the danger of overlapping with the work of other 
agencies was prominent, the Committee are for the present regarding purely medical 
questions as beyond their scope. It is otherwise when such questions have a directly 
commercial aspect as in the case of fish poisoning hereafter referred to, which consti¬ 
tutes a bar to the establishment of an export trade in fish. The Committee regards 
veterinary matters as falling within its purview. 
In the consideration of agricultural subjects the Committee were assisted by 
Sir David Prain, C.M.G., F.R.S., the Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew. 
Generally speaking, the Colonial Governments support agricultural research from 
their own funds, particularly such research as is immediately called for in con¬ 
nection with outbreaks of fungus diseases and insect pests. Moreover the Imperial 
Government already defrays the cost of the Imperial Department of Agriculture 
for the W est Indies, which conducts a number of researches useful to the agricul¬ 
ture of the West Indies as a whole, and particularly to the Leeward and Windward 
Islands. A note on the activities of this Department will be found in Appendix II 
Accordingly, the agricultural questions which it is appropriate for the Committee 
to entertain resolve themselves into those of financial assistance to the poorer 
Colonies, and of handling a few special problems which concern more than one 
Colony or have proved too difficult for the unaided resources of a single Colony. 
In the consideration of proposals for geological and mineralogical investiga¬ 
tions, the Committee were assisted by Dr. J. W. Evans, F.R.S., the Adviser to the 
Colonial Office in regard to minerals other than petroleum and coal. Apart from 
the proposals laid before the Committee, a large amount of work of this class is 
being carried out by the more prosperous Colonies from their own resources and 
several extensions of this work are in contemplation. A number of references to the 
subject will be found in Appendix II. 
The Committee has benefited by the advice of a number of other officers and 
private individuals, among whom ‘they desire specially to mention Sir Sidney 
Harmer, F.R.S., Director of the British Museum (Natural History), who attended 
a discussion on fish poisoning and has kindlv consented to supervise the sponge 
investigations, and Professor Stanley Gardiner and Mr. J. 0. Borley, O.B.E., of the 
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, who advised the Committee upon fishery 
questions. 
The Committee has had abundant proof of the difficulty which exists in obtaining 
the services of suitably qualified men to conduct investigations, and accordingly 
welcomes the appointment of a Committee under the chairmanship of Lord Chalmers 
to deal with the question of increasing the supply of such men, and looks forward to 
co-operating with that Committee in various ways. The difficulty has been especially 
felt as regards mycologists, entomologists, and economic botanists. 
The following are particulars of the principal proposals received from the 
Colonies and considered by the Colonial Research Committee. 
EAST AFRICA. 
With Tegard to the East African Colonies and Protectorates, the Committee 
has hitherto been approached only on behalf of Ny a sal and,-but it may be expected 
that applications on behalf of others will shortly be received. The Committee con¬ 
sidered the proposals made by Nyasaland of which particulars are given in 
Appendix II, They were favourably disposed to the proposals for the purchase 
of laboratory equipment, and for the supply of boring apparatus to be used in a 
search for coal and water. The Protectorate has been informed that the Committee 
will be prepared to recommend a grant for these expenses amounting to £2,000 or 
£3,000 upon the receipt of a detailed list of the apparatus required. The Committee 
