from top to bottom. Thank God the Navy has already found this out. Science will ultimately rule all the operations both of peace and war, and therefore the industrial and the fighting population must both have a large common ground of education. Already it is not looking too far ahead to see that in a perfect State there will be a double use of each citizen- —a peace use and a war use; and the more science advances, the more the old difference between the peaceful citizen and the man at arms will disappear. The barrack, if it still exists, and the workshop will be assimilated; the land unit, like the battleship, will become a school of applied science, self-contained, in which the officers will be the efficient teachers. I do not think it is yet recognised how much the problem of national defence has thus become associated with that with which we are now chiefly concerned. These, then, are some of the reasons which compel me to point out that a scientific council, which might be a scientific committee of the Privy Council, in dealing primarily with the national needs in times of peace, would be a source of strength to the nation. To sum up, then. My earnest appeal to you is to gird up your loins and see to it that the science of the British Empire shall no longer remain unorganised. I have endeavoured to point out to you how the nation at present suffers from the absence of a powerful, continuous, reasoned expression of scientific opinion, urging in season and out of season that we shall be armed as other nations are, with efficient Universities and facilities for research to uphold the flag of Britain in the domain of learning and discovery, and what they alone can bring. I have also endeavoured to show how, when this is done, the nation will still be less strong than it need be if there be not added to our many existing councils another, to secure that even during peace the benefits which a proper co-ordination of scientific effort in the nation's interest can bring shall not be neglected as they are at present. Lest some of you may think that the scientific organisation which I trust you will determine to found would risk success in working on such large lines, let me remind you that in 1859, when the late Prince Consort occupied this Chair, he referred to 'impediments' to scientific progress, and said, 'they are often such as can only be successfully dealt with by the powerful arm of the State or the long purse of the nation.' If the Prince Consort had lived to continue his advocacy of science, our position to-day would have been very different. His early death was as bad for Britain as the loss of a great campaign. If we cannot make up what we have lost, matters cannot mend. I have done what I feel to be my duty in bringing the present condition of things before you. It is now your duty, if you agree with me, to see You can if you will. that it be put right. REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. Investigation of the Upper Atmosphere by Means of Kites in co-operation with a Committee of the Royal Meteorological Society.-Second Report of the Committee, consisting of Dr. W. N. SHAW (Chairman), Mr. W. H. DINES (Secretary), Mr. D. ARCHIBALD, Mr. C. VERNON Boys, Dr. A. BUCHAN, Dr. R. T. GLAZEBROOK, Dr. H. R. MILL, and Professor A. SCHUSTER. (Drawn up by the Secretary.) THE results of last year's work have been published; a description of the apparatus and methods employed being given in the 'Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society,' vol. xxix., No. 126, p. 65; and a discussion of the results obtained, in a paper by Dr. Shaw and Mr. W. H. Dines, which appears in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society,' series A, vol. ccii., 1903. The apparatus used at Crinan last year was erected at Oxshott in the autumn, and it was hoped that to a limited extent the observations might be continued there; but before the end of October the wire was accidentally dropped across the main road leading from Esher to Leatherhead. Fortunately the wire rested on trees on both sides of the road; but before it could be removed many carriages and bicyclists had passed under it. This accident convinced us that it would be unwise to continue the work at Oxshott, excepting for winds between south and north-west. The winter has been devoted to an endeavour to improve the apparatus. This has been accomplished: a new winding-gear has been constructed, which so far has given every satisfaction, and the details of the construction of the kites have been altered, so that they exert a more uniform pull and seem to be more reliable. The apparatus was brought to Crinan at the beginning of August, and in view of the uncertainty about obtaining a vessel, was erected on the same island as last year. The apparatus in the possession of the Committee now consists of I. Engine, boiler, and winding-gear used last year. II. New winding-gear. III. About 14 miles of wire, six of which have been purchased this year. IV. Ten kites 7 feet 6 inches high; three kites 9 feet high; materials of a kite 12 feet high, V. Two self-recording instruments made by Mons. Tesserenc de Bort.' VI. Spare bamboo sticks, &c., for repairs. The old winding-gear is hardly reliable, but many of the parts will be available for making another. Application was made to the Government Grant Committee of the Royal Society for a grant of 250l. for the hire of a vessel. On the suggestion of this Committee the Admiralty were asked to lend a vessel for the purpose, and they kindly consented to do so; but unfortunately the vessel they proposed to place at the disposal of the Kite Committee has met with an accident and is unavailable. The Royal Society have, however, made a grant of 2001., and the Committee are now endeavouring to hire a suitable vessel. Addendum to the Report of the Kite Committee. Great difficulty has been experienced in obtaining a suitable vessel owing to the lateness of the time at which inquiries about one were instituted and to the fact that July and August are the yachting season. A steam tug, the 'Renown,' has been hired for a month, and reached Crinan on August 13. The apparatus was fitted on board by the evening of the 14th, and since then daily ascents have been made. No great height (over 6,000 feet) has been reached, for the weather has been of the most unfavourable description for kite flying; but one very interesting trace has been obtained-namely, that of August 20, when the kite was drawn in from a height of 4,500 feet during a sudden and unexpected thunderstorm which was accompanied by extremely violent rain and hail. Magnetic Observations at Falmouth.-Report of the Committee, consisting of Sir W. H. PREECE (Chairman), Dr. R. T. GLAZEBROOK (Secretary), Professor W. G. ADAMS, Captain CREAK, Mr. W. L. Fox, Professor A. SCHUSTER, and Sir A. W. RÜCKER, appointed to co-operate with the Committee of the Falmouth Observatory in their Magnetic Observations. THE Committee report that the grant voted at the last meeting has been used in support of the ordinary magnetic work of the Falmouth Observatory, and that records of the horizontal force, the declination, and the vertical force have been kept during the year. The curves up to December 31, 1902, have been examined at Kew, and, specially in view of the disturbed state of the Kew instruments and the uncertainty as to the future magnetic observatory to replace Kew, have a real value. The results for the quiet days are published in the Report of the Falmouth Observatory, and will be reprinted in the Proceedings of the Royal Society. The vertical force instrument to which reference was made in the last report has worked in a fairly satisfactory manner during the year. In conclusion the Committee ask for reappointment with a further A third is promised by him and expected shortly. |