BRITISH SCIENTISTS

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1548, 18 September 1912, Page 4

BRITISH SCIENTISTS

r.AI.'TYJ'OI! AI'STIi.U.IA. In Aiigii-t. "HI 11. An-tralia will be vi-il-od by a party of ]irili>li scientists nimi-lu-iing, with lady relatives and muiio unuHicisil deh\'afp.-. over :l(IO ]iei-ons. Tin: vW\\ is the resiill of an invitation by Iho l-Vdi'l-nl (.liiviTiimi'iit tn the lirili-h As-ii-ciatiun for tin' Ailviincement of Science to hold its 1914 mcctiut' iii the Coinmonwciilih. The invitation n< sent at Hie iusti'iice of scieutihe societios and univi-r----s- in Aii-tnilia, and the Comiiionwc.ilth (iovcriimeiit ha- pnmii-wl ,£]s,nt)li luwanls the oxpoii-es. .Mr. l'i-,her bus now written tn a scientilic mini in eai-li Slate, asking him to form a represcnt'.ilive camniittce to iiinki' local arningcuieiils, and l'iutV.":ir JJavid, whom the Prime Ministor approached Io .perform the Sydney portion of the wurk, enlisted the services of ilr. .1. H. .Maiden (prrinanent bun.

secretary of the Australasian Association) as hun. secretary, and convened a meeting for September 9 in order lo Ret a committee formed. Lord Chelmsford presided over a representative attendance. , Professor David said (he party would include at least 200 official member? of the British Association, and among the-e were, the leaders of scientific thought, in the Old Country. (Applause.) The visit was altogether outside the sphere of party politics, and thus they saw Mr. Usher joined by-Mr. Deakin, in Melbourne, and Mr. M'Gowen joined by Mr. Wade here in New S6uth Wales. (Applause.) They were also grateful to the Lord Mayor for representative' municipal Sympathy, and it was. very gratifying to find how iiearlily all the ehnfehes had" r'e--spondecl to the call' for assistance. The '■response-'- from all sections of the learned professions and- business 'people'- had also at en. ready, and all thnt was now needed was' hearty co-operation. ' He atipcaled to them', "therefore,-to' rally'round, and make' this visit a really fme epoch-making era in Australian history. (Applause.) , Professor David said the'committee, was selling to work thus early because it was necessary to send full details to.the British Association before- the Birmingham meeting licit year. The mniu partv would arrive at Perth on August i, 1914, a smaller advance party having- been the guests of the State Government for a wenk.. The united pnrty would leave for Adelaide on August J,- and after spending five days there, would proceed ("0 Melbourne.' They, would be seven days in Melbourne, and hero Part T of the'prosi- ' dimtial address would bo given, sectional meetings would be held* public lectures given, and excursions. The Sydney visit would also occupy seven days and they would note that the. presidential address had been cut exactly into tiro equal halves so as to preserve an equitable understanding between two great cities. (Laughter.) There was an advantage in this, because the ordinary presidential address was very solid food, and by administering it half at a time they gave increased time for digestion', and made for comfort and healthy assimilation on the part of the audience. Then, if it was the case with presidential addresses as with novels, that the last chapter was the most interesting, well, then, Sydney-was in it. (Laughter.) The visit to Brisbane would occupy four day?, and the. majority of the partv would leave by steamer about September 1. mid proceed homeward via Cairns, Port 'Moresby, Java, Singapore, and Colombo. A small party would probably visit New Zealand by special invitation of the Do-' minion Government.