The Dominion. SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1916. SCIENCE AND INDUSTRIES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2681, 29 January 1916, Page 4

The Dominion. SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1916. SCIENCE AND INDUSTRIES

, In adopting the report and recommendations of the Institute of Science and Industries Committee; tho Commonwealth Government has wisely followed the lead of Great .Britain. In Australia an Advisory Council has been appointed to immediately set about collecting indus-" tvi&l_ and scientific information, initiating research, and promoting industries. In Great' Britain the Advisory Council was selected some months ago, and, though little has h-;en heard of its activities, it-is no doubt closely, engaged upon the subject? committed to its care. Tho Home scheme for the organisation and development of scientific and industrial research has been looked upon as a welcome" concession to principles long advocated by men of science. Ministers were always sympathetic, and though for several years nothing of practical value vriis done by them,, they could never conceal from themselves the fact that Geimany was rapidly capturing tho trade of Great_ Britain. Germany's success in the industrial world was du \ in the first place, to the utilisation of the country's scientific knowand to making use of every scientific discovery that came within the people's ken. The German mind is less originative than it is critical, and* very few inventions of importune..' have been made in Germany. But a fresh discovery or a new piece of machinery, irrespective of who the discoverers or inventors might b*,' was seized upon greedily by the Germans, examined, studied, and ponderod over, so that in many instances improvements were effected. This took place with regard to aniline dyes, which, though a British discovery, was so manipulated by Teutonic rival manufacturers that Germany secured . practically the world's business in the dyes. The application of metallic oxides to the improvement of gas and electric lighting was an Austrian discovery. But it was immediately appropriate ed by the Germans, who Before the War. had almost a monopoly of tho business. _ The numerous discoveries of minor importance in tho_ application of electricity to chemical processes, nearly all of them of British or French origin, were promptly taken over by tno Germans, as were tho strictly British_ inventions relating to the application of magnetism to the separation of metallic ores, and tho many improvements in electric power plants. Germany's most startling exhibition of industrial enterprise, as of he: people's readiness to appropriate the scientific discoveries of other nations, was probably in respect to turbine engines. The Hon. C. A. Parsons was the first to construct a practical engine on the turbine • principle in 1884, and that with a 6-norse-power engine which how reposes in South Kensington Museum. The first turbine is supposed to have been designed by Hero, of Alexandria, and Branca, it is known, turned a wneel fitted with vanes by means of a steam jet about the year 161(1. Thus, tho principle of the turbine was, public property long before- Parsons' invention. No sooner was tho latter's modest engine made known than the Germans set tb work upon it. In one year after tho first British turbines were .built, it is stated, two German companies spent about a quarter of a million sterling in improving upon the British system, and within two years were supplying British firms with new, improved, .and cheaper models. In all forms of machinery, as in the chemical industries, Germany's aim has always been, not to boldly striko out on a new and independent path o£ her own, but to lie in wait, as it were, for the inventions and discoveries of nations mentally much their superiors. Men of science in Great Britain have lone preached 011 the dangers to British industry jrein Jjho methods of the Germans, Thoe^,

dangers arose, to all appearance, largely through lack of co-operation between scientists and the Government. At the last meeting of tho Society of Chemical Industry many refeienccs were made to. the ignoring of scientific experts not only in the industrial sphere, bub also in Government Departments _ where modern science is of first importance. It was regrettable, several speakers held, that the full scientific resources of the nation had not been systematically utilised by the Government. Nature, leading with this subject, said: "There are hundreds of men of science in the country whose energies and expert knowledge- are not being effectively used. Not a day passes but we are asked by men of science how. they can devote their knowledgo to national needs."

Allegations of indifference to scientific research on the part of British merchants or the British Government promise very soon to bo no longer possible. The- Admiralty has established an Inventions Board, and appointed Loud Fisher its chairman. The duty of the Inventions Board is "to assist the Admiralty in co-ordinating and encouraging scientific effort in its relation to I the requirements of the naval service." A Minister of Munitions has been appointed, a portion _ of whose functions is to obtain scien- | tific advice and investigation in connection with the provision of munitions of war. Then there is the Government's elaborate and very promising scheme, already mentioned, "for the permanent organisation and development of scientific and industrial research." A Committee of the Privy Council, according to a White Paper, will be responsible for tho expenditure of funds provided by Parliament for scientific and industrial research, and the Advisory Council will be composed mainly of.eminent scientific men. and of men actually engaged in industries - .dependent upon scientific research. SThc Committee of Council will consist of the Lord President, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary for Scotland, the Chief Secretary for Ireland, the President of the Board of Education, and the President of the Board of Trade. The primary functions of the Advisory Council are to advise on: Proposals for instituting specific researches; proposals for establishing or developing special 'institutions or departments of the existing institutions for tho scientific study of problems affecting particular industries and trades; and the establishment and-award of research studentships and fellowships. That British manufacturers will lend their utmost assistance to the scheme may bo considered as assured. Some of the most important manufacturing finns seem impressed with the necessity for action on their own part. In November, for example, the Board of Directors of British Dyes (Limited) established a Research Department, at its head Dr. Morgan, F.R.S., of'tho Royal College of Science for Ireland, with a large Advisory Committee of professors. including such men as Dr. M. O. Forster and Pressor Meldola, both distinguished in chemical research. 1