New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-09-05
1ur -HlLALs or AaLLNon.

The visit of the British Association To Mon
trcal has been gratifying success from every
pnint Of view. With the exception Of Pro-
fcssors Huxley and Tyndall, the greatest repre-
scntativcs of English science were present.
The presidents of the eight sections were
among the strongest men in their departments,
and tho papers read at the various meetings
were above the ordinary level Of original
power Sir William Thomson, the intellectual
giant of the assembagc, confessed at the clos
ing meeting that the discussions OF the mathe-
NAUTICAL and physical section had never been so
profound, and that although he had attended
sessions of the Association since $50 his mind
had never received so powerful an impulse as II
had at Montreal. In chemical science and
biology the British Association was seen at its
| best, and in other departments Its working
| power was higher than usual. The attendance
was large and the financial results have ex-
cccdcd expectations. The experiment of cross
| ing the Atlantic has been tested, and the mem
Der who first advocated the change of base has
! been pronounced very wise as well as very
| bold man.
| Englishmcn are now making amends for past
| indifference to and neglect of their colonial
dependencies by a newborn zeal for schemes
of confederation. The most sanEine among
them even venture to outline vague plans Of inn
pcrial federation, wherein Little Britain, and
the Greater Britain of which it forms only the
one. syty-fOurth part, shall be represented in
new Parliament. Sir Lyon Payfalr gave cx-
preston to this idea in Montreal and com
mcndcd the example of the British Association
in partially iedeatng the science Of the En-
min md | of Ia nf lao
session laid stress upon the same argument aud
made an eloquent appeal TO Canadian loyalty
to respond to every token of a revival of in
tcrcst on the part Of the mother state in it's
dependencies. Ills predecessor, Lord Lornc
has sounded tlIc same note in London in com
mcndng the foresight of the Association in
leading the way in tiosc social relations which
do as much as statccfa0 10 bind communities
together. A strenuous effort has been made
both by the visitors md the hosts to impWt
political significance 10 the meeting. The
sentiment that the British Association must nj
why's be- nt home on British soil hna been ~.
pcnlrdly heard aud npplnudod. Bat odcnin.
tious ~ these displays Of loyalty 10 England
have been ihc presence Of the distinguished
company In Montreal has served to ncccuiuatc
the characteristic differences between Canada
and the mother country. Canadians to-day
bear closer resemblance 10 Americans than
they do 10 EnRlishncn I'm social traits, hnbits
Of thought and commercial incrcdR, Toronto
and Montreal are American rather than Eng
lisb cities
The most beneficial result Of The Montreal
meeting has been the familiar intercourse pro.
NOTED between English md American scion.
4.
kn0wlcdgcd the profit ho had derived from
meeting representatives Of the United States
He said they had increased tho working power
of his section Of the Association. This was The
concurrent testimony Of tho lenders Of English
science. The Americana for then part found
much 10 learn in the English sections, aud Ia
consequence of their practical acquaintance
with the scientists Of tho older country they
will be stimulated to be more thorough in their
methods and more profound. Sir Lyon Play
lar expressed a comprehensive truth " hen he
said that science did not belong TO any nation,
but to the universe. Its faithful servants in
passing from the outer courts Of Natures
temple to tho inner shrine Of unrevealed mys-
terics arc neither English, Canadian nor Ameri-
can. They are fellow citizens OF the world Of
science and nationality ought not ~ divide
them The Montreal meeting followed by the
sessions Of the American Association at Phila