A SCIENTIFIC GENIUS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 98, 20 January 1920, Page 2

A SCIENTIFIC GENIUS

♦- KILLED IN GALLIPOLI. Tho story of how the services of a distinguished young scientist were lost to the world through the war was told bv Sir Oliver Lodge durim; a lecture on "The Structure of the. Atom." Sir Oliver sa ; d there were more atoms in Y tumblerful of water than tumhlerfuls of water in the Atlantic. Even smaller than the atom was the electron, which, as compared with (he atom, was as: an inch to the mile. But the electrons of the atom had been counted just btfore the war by a young man killed in Gallipoli. ' Tic was too valuable- to be allowed to risk himself, and as a matter of fact the Rov.il Society moved to eel him back. The napers were sent out, but a Turkish bullet vent through his heart just before. Lieutenant Moseley was onjy it yrars of a»c. He was the son of the late ProfrWr Tl. N. Moseley, the distinguished zoologist, and was to have been recalledfrom' the Armv to carry on lus work at home. The paners. however, were not revived until after his death. Educated at Eton and Trinity College, Oxford. Lieutenant Moseley was appointed lecturer and demonstrator in tlio nhvsics department of the University of Manchester. Ho devoted lr« spare time to investigation, and resigned the lectureship so that he could give all his at'"iition to research. • ' He went out: to Australia with (he British Association, and his contributions to the discussion of the structure of tho atom and his description of the work on the X-rav snectra of the rare earths were of the'utmost value. When war broke out h" returned ;.m----mediateiy to Britain to 00-erh.c service end was given a commission in the Ho>al ' When his res-arches were at-r.n important stage. Lieutenant Motley was Vnown to work IS lionr« continuously Tie wis sp"c\illv comnlimontcil when no ,4.1 his fir<t psner hefnre Hie Royal Snc'etv bv the then nrosideut, Sir William Crookes. who referred to the excellent way :n which he.had presented the ~p = i,ll« of his work. WUi'i" "f Hip voting scientist. Profcs. cnr'K Rulherford said: "Mosc'ey's fame, securely rests on this fine series of invnct'i?alions. and bis remarlnble reeonl of four brief years' investigation allowed those who knew him W to prophesy for him a brilliant scientific career. His atomic work is describee' as _ a discovery of ureal and far-reaching importance, both" on th<- theoretical and experimental side, and is likely to .stand out as one of the great landmarks in tho growth of our knowledge of the constilut'on of atoms." "Tt is a national tweedy.' =aul Prnfe=sor Rulherford, "that our military organisation at the start was so -velnstio i's to 'be unable, with few executions, to i-Clise the offers of service of our seienline m*n excent as combatants m tho livi"? line." ~ , .„.. T.ieiiteiinnt Mn=eW benu"athed .CUfllfl to the Roval Roeielv to further scientific inv»=t»;ali<"i. and his mother has given a further donation.