EDITORIAL. 
the unfortunate delays that had such a lamentable effect during the 
early stages of the Great War. . . . It is necessary to make 
adequate provision for research experiments and design in connexion 
with war material. . . . We must, unfortunately, continue our 
studies of what is known as chemical warfare. . . . It is our policy 
to farm out to civil scientific institutions, such as the Universities, the 
National Physical Laboratory, the Imperial College of Science and 
Technology, &c., all pure research that can be profitably farmed out, 
and, generally speaking, to restrict military institutions to applied 
research and the preliminary design of apparatus.” Commenting on 
the above, Nature points out that there is reason for hope in improved 
conditions. It is undeniable that, broadly speaking, early in the war 
the Army was perilously out of touch and*out of comprehension with 
respect to science, but it must also be remembered that the forees of 
science were not marshalled and led by any means so well as they might 
have been. No doubt, wonders were done during war time, but it is 
most desirable that for the future science should have some scheme of 
mobilization ready. é 
SCIENCE AND THE NAVY. 
A Department of Scientific Research and Experiment has been 
established under the Controller of the British Navy. As scientific 
adviser to the Controller, and in charge of the Department, there has 
been appointed a Director of Scientific Research, who is responsible 
for the general direction and organization of research work for naval 
purposes, keeping the Navy in touch with outside scientific experiments, 
and insuring that the work at the various naval experimental estab- 
lishments dealing with mines, sound signals, and navigational appliances 
proceeds with full cognisance of scientific progress. and methods. In 
order to carry on the work of the Department, a small Naval Research 
Institute is to be established adjacent to the National Physical 
Laboratory at Teddington. This Institute will be entirely controlled 
by the Admiralty, but its close association with the National Physical 
Laboratory will offer exceptional facilities for co-operation, and the 
scientific. staff of the Institute will have: the advantage of first-hand 
‘acquaintance with the work being carried out at the Laboratory. 
INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH IN ITALY. 
Italy was not long in following the lead of the other European 
countries in establishing a national department for the prosecution of 
scientific and industrial research as a means of post-war reconstruction. 
_ The necessity for such action has heen made more urgent by the adop- 
tion in many industries of an eight-hour day. Necessarily, increased 
efficiency in manufacturing methods thust be brought about if produe- 
tion is to be maintained. Otherwise, she would be unable to meet com- 
petition from other nations whose industries are more highly organized. 
According to a report by the United States Trade Commissioner at 
Rome, four stations have been established—two at Milan, for paper 
and fats respectively; and two at Naples, for leather and ceramics. 
Another is being established at Reggio, Calabria, for essential oils and , 
perfumes, and three more are to be established as follows:—At Rovigno, 
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